Inspector and Deputy
by EricaX
Summary: Based off Aline Riva's IG Trilogy Series. They start during Man and Machine and go beyond Doomsday Machine. These are some short snippets in the daily lives of Inspector Gadget and his partner, Deputy Taylor Braydon. One-shots.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Inspector and Deputy

Fandom: Inspector Gadget

Summary: Based off Aline Riva's IG Trilogy Series. Takes place between Man or Machine and Rise of the Lazarus. These are some short snippets in the daily lives of Inspector Gadget and his partner, Deputy Taylor Braydon. One-shots.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

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"Today is the Day"

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"Today is the day, Gadget!" announced a rather excited and beaming Taylor Braydon.

Inspector Gadget, whose eyes were currently focused on the road ahead of him, raised a dark eyebrow in curiosity. "And what would that day be exactly?"

Taylor turned in his seat to look at Gadget, a large grin on his features, making him have the appearance of an over-excited child. "Today is the day I'm going to make Chief Quimby smile at me!"

"Say what? You've lost your marbles, man!" exclaimed the Gadget Mobile before Gadget could open his mouth and respond.

Gadget gave him a skeptic frown. "That's not exactly what I had in mind when you said 'Today is the day'. Most people who say that would have…a bit more of a goal than that…."

"A LOT more of a goal! What kind of a goal is that?" demanded the Gadget Mobile as Gadget made a left and went to park into the Police station parking lot.

Taylor frowned, having hoped for better encouragements from his friends. "A GOOD one!" he fought back. "Chief Quimby NEVER smiles at me—"

"Taylor—"attempted Gadget, but he was cut off.

"I don't think he likes me a whole lot!" Taylor pressed on, running a hand through his blonde hair. Once the car came to a stop, Taylor opened his door and got out the second the car was to a stop.

"Gee, I wonder why" grumbled Gadget Mobile.

It had been three months since Taylor had started working with Gadget as Deputy Taylor Braydon and since the Riverton Bomber had been stopped, and so far, he was not making himself well-liked among the Police Station. Most of the other officers made fun of Taylor behind his back; sometimes right in front of him, though if Taylor noticed, he gave no reaction.

"How exactly do you plan to….make the Chief smile…?" was the question on Gadget's mind as he stepped out of the Gadget Mobile and walked around to the other side so that he was standing next to Taylor.

Taylor pulled his brown coat closer to his metallic arms and gave the inspector a satisfied smirk. "I'm going to do everything he tells me to do! I'm going to do everything perfect today! I'm going to catch speeders! Lots of them! He'll be so thrilled, he won't be able to help but smile at me!"

"Why is this important to you, Taylor? You know the chief isn't exactly the friendliest guy in the world. You shouldn't take it so personally" confided Gadget, opening up the door to the police station and letting Taylor step in first.

"Thank you!" said Taylor to Gadget's gesture. He then continued explaining. "I'm about to change that! Today is the day, Gadget! I'm gonna make Chief Quimby proud!"

"BRAYDON!" came the infuriated holler of Chief Quimby himself.

Both Gadget and Taylor gulped and took a step back, clearly intimidated by Quimby's fury. They hadn't even managed to take five steps inside yet. Other officers around them all looked on in worry, suddenly busying themselves and trying to act invisible. They didn't wish to share in the wrath.

Chief Quimby, wearing his uniform, minus his hat, walked down the stairs from where his office was and glared daggers at the Deputy. He marched over to Taylor, ignoring Gadget altogether.

"Yes, Chief?" squeaked Taylor, with a strained smile, placing his hands behind his back.

"Thanks to you, yesterday a man suspected of thievery of some local jewelry stores got away WHILE you were on watch! He escaped by highway; YOUR HIGHWAY! The first major crime we've had since the Riverton Bomber and you went and let him go without so much as turning on your lights!"

Taylor gulped, looking down at his feet. "I honestly didn't see any speeders yesterday, chief" he mumbled. "There were some questionable winds though…."

Chief Quimby turned purple in the face and began ranting, cursing, and basically chewing Taylor out for the whole police station to hear. Gadget just remained at his friend's side; his hands also clasped behind his back and listened as he stared before him.

In the middle of his own rant, Quimby turned and started pacing the area before them. While the chief was busy ranting and raving, Taylor leaned over to Gadget and whispered into his ear: "Perhaps today isn't the day after all….." he sighed miserably.

Gadget shook his head sympathetically.

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Author's Note: Just a quick little snippet in the daily life of Inspector Gadget and his partner, Deputy Taylor Braydon. Taylor belongs to the lovely Aline Riva.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

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"Chocolate Covered Deputy"

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"It certainly was nice of you to allow us to have this tour, Mr. Russet" commented Inspector Gadget warmly as he walked along the many catwalks overlooking the factory; his hands calmly clasped behind his back. The infamous inspector was currently walking beside Chief Quimby and his partner, Deputy Taylor Braydon.

Mr. Russet was a short yet thin man who looked far too young to be the owner of a chocolate factory. He looked squirrely with his long face, long nose and wire rimmed glasses. The man turned around and smiled at the inspector. "It was the least we could do after you and Deputy Braydon did such a wonderful job keeping security tight at last week's press conference."

Chief Quimby rolled his eyes. "If you call tripping over the loud speaker cable and nearly tearing down the podium keeping security tight" he grumbled.

The four of them stopped and both Gadget and Quimby turned to the man behind them, who was oblivious to their conversation. Taylor was currently leaning over the metal railing of the catwalks to get a better view of the large vats of churning chocolate down below. He had a childish air to him and his smile shone nearly as brightly as his eyes as he looked down at the assembly lines that were currently creating candy bars by the thousands.

Mr. Russet chuckled nervously. "Now, now. No harm done. I'm positive Deputy Braydon didn't mean it. Everyone makes mistakes…"

Taylor looked up at the sound of his name, his ears perked up as he leaned back from the rail to look at them. "I didn't mean what?"

Gadget smiled warmly at his friend. "You didn't mean to trip over the loud speaker cable at the press conference last week."

"Oh! That!" chuckled Taylor, going a bit pink in the cheeks. "Yeah….Sorry about that, Mr. Russet! I won't be doing anything like that ever again!" He then turned his eyes back to the vat of chocolate that was below him, leaning once more.

"Quite alright, Deputy Braydon" assured Mr. Russet as he turned back. He started leading them towards the end of the catwalks where there were some steps that took them back down to ground level. Mr. Russet said his goodbyes and left to attend to the workers.

Gadget turned to Quimby, noting that the man looked as though he was in the last place he wanted to be. He smirked. "Do you not like chocolate, chief?"

Quimby, ignoring the question, glanced over at Gadget with a glare which immediately shut the inspector up. "Gadget, I honestly don't know how you put up with Taylor. Last week's display was—"

Gadget sighed, having heard this before. "I know, Chief. Taylor isn't exactly law enforcement material—but he loves his job and he really does try. He's—"

"Stupid, Gadget. The man is stupid" hissed Quimby.

Gadget shrugged, raising his arms up. "If you want to be blunt about it-Yes, Taylor is a bit…..on the slow side…" he grimaced, hating to say anything bad about his friend. "But I think he's really starting to get a grip on things and realize that-"he stopped mid-sentence, a thought coming to him. "Where IS Taylor?"

Both inspector and chief didn't have any time to look for the deputy before they heard the sound of Taylor screaming in alarm. Several workers in white coats ran past them, nearly running them over. Both men flinched at the sudden rush and heard the sound of a half scream half laughter sound come from one of the vats.

Gadget and Quimby both turned to the enormous vat of chocolate at the same time and their eyes went wide and their mouths went slack.

They watched in complete disbelief as they watched the workers all clamber around the vat trying to get Taylor out of it. While they had been led away from the catwalks, Taylor had stayed where he was and fallen into the vat of chocolate.

Inside the vat, Taylor gasped for breath, completely drenched in thick warm chocolate as he moved his arms as though he were swimming. "WOW!" he shouted, licking his lips. "This stuff is even better than it looks!" He looked up to see the many workers climbing up ladders and offering to get him out. "Oh! Have you all come to join me?" He ran a hand through his hair, slicking it back with chocolate.

"No sir! We're trying to get you out!" one of them told him, reaching out a hand.

"No need! I'm just fine!" he looked down towards Gadget and Quimby. "Hey, Gadget! Look at me! I'm covered in chocolate! I'll bet the ladies would love me even MORE now! Chocolate covered man metal!" He suddenly started bursting out laughing while the workers looked on in bewilderment. He continued to swim in the vat of chocolate without a care in the world.

Down from where he was standing, Gadget just shook his head. "Is that seriously all he thinks about?" he demanded in disbelief.

"Braydon! You get out of that vat of chocolate this instant!" roared Quimby. The chief turned away, fuming silently. After a moment of attempting to calm his temper, he sneered grimly to Gadget, "He's really starting to get a grip on things, you say?" He turned to leave, a deadly look on his face. "I need some aspirin…"

Gadget sighed, shaking his head as he watched the workers continue to try coaxing Taylor out of the chocolate, realizing it was a losing battle trying to make Taylor look good to Quimby.

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Author's Note: This was just a random idea I had. I thought it would be fun. You can actually thank this chapter on the song "Chocolate Factory" from the soundtrack of the original Inspector Gadget cartoon. I happened to listen to it after finding it and this idea came to mind. Review please!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

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"Go Go Taylor"

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"Would you stop hummin'?" snapped the Gadget Mobile after ten minutes straight of listening to Deputy Taylor Braydon hum a random tune. They were both waiting for Gadget to come back from florist store they were currently parked at.

Taylor stopped humming and looked down at the little screen in the middle of the dashboard which had an animated cartoon-like picture of the Gadget Mobile's face. He frowned. "Why?"

"It's annoying!"

Taylor looked up, glancing around the street on the bright sunny day, his hair blowing in the wind. "No. I like my humming. And it's not hurting anyone." He leaned his arm over the edge of the white car.

"That's not true! It's hurtin' me! It's hurtin' my speakers!" the Gadget Mobile told him.

Taylor turned away, pouting as Inspector Gadget walked out from the florist and round to the driver's side. He was wearing his normal trench coat and hat, but in his hands he held a box of flowers. Upon seeing his friend's pout, he chuckled before asking, "Okay, what happened between you two this time." He sighed with a smile as he sat in the car. He placed the flowers carefully in his lap.

"Nothing…" mumbled Taylor, looking away. He didn't like being the one to start anything.

"He was hummin', G Man!" whined Gadget Mobile.

Gadget paused. "Humming?""

"Yeah! It was really annoying too!"

Taylor groaned. "Ugh, stop you're whining! I wasn't even humming all that loudly! I'm tired of hearing you whine all the time! Go Go Gadget earplugs!" Taylor paused the moment the words left his mouth though and his eyes went wide.

Gadget had frozen in place as well, his eyes wide. He glanced up at Taylor. "Did you-Did you just say—'Go Go Gadget'?"

Taylor looked like a little kid who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "No" he squeaked quietly.

"Yeah, he did! And he says it all the time on duty while we're watchin' for speeders! Well, while 'I'm' watching' for speeders" informed the Gadget Mobile. "He just LOVES to play 'Gadget'."

The grey coated inspector just sat there in surprise, having never known this before. He couldn't help but laugh a bit. Bit his laughter was short lived as a more somber expression came over his features. He looked at Taylor in the eyes. "Taylor…..you know that phrase only works for me, right?"

Taylor nodded, watching as Gadget pulled out some blue ribbon that he had bought earlier that day and started tying it around the box of flowers. "Yeah…."

"And you know you don't actually have gadgets like I do, right?" Gadget asked, tying the ribbon in a pretty bow.

"I'm reminded everyday…." Sighed Taylor with a frown.

Gadget looked up at this. He knew his friend had a love for cybernetics and loved the idea of having gadgets like he did, though he still had a tough time understanding why. After so many years of living in a cyborg body filled with more gadgets than he could count, Gadget found it hard to believe that anyone would want to give up a part of their humanity and have that same type of life. Yet Taylor certainly was willing to do so. He often went to Lula begging to hear about more ideas and the latest technology; demanding crazy amounts of money for them in the process.

"Taylor, why don't you just be happy with the way you are? You're a wonderful guy, Taylor. You shouldn't feel that you need gadgets to make you a better person" he told him.

Taylor shrugged. "Oh, I know all that…..I just…..like feeling cool…..like a super hero…"

Gadget shook his head, "I can assure you, it doesn't always make you feel like a hero." He turned his attention to the ribbon. "Hmm….the ribbon is too long. I'll need to cut this ribbon. I got these flowers for Penny; just something special. Work has been stressing her out lately. I wanted to do something nice" he explained. He opened up his mouth to say his catch phrase to start up the small pair of scissors in his finger when Taylor beat him to it.

"Go Go Taylor Scissors!" he then pulled out a small pair of sewing scissors from his coat pocket. He showed them to Gadget, a large grin on his face as he made the scissors snap open and shut. Gadget just stared at him. Sheepishly, Taylor leaned over and cut the ribbon, making the bow complete. "There you go! Had them in my pocket…. Forgot to give them back to Lula…." He added nervously. After another long moment, he finally lost it with the silence. "What? If I can't use your catch phrase, then let me use my own! It's not hurting anyone!"

Gadget just shook his head and started to pull out of the parking lot.

"Uh huh…..just like that hummin' of yours…" grumbled the Gadget Mobile sarcastically.

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Author's Note: Another little chapter. Short and sweet. Taylor really wants to be like Gadget. So, he made his own catch phrase.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Author's Notes: If you are unfamiliar with Aline Riva's IG Trilogy, you may not understand this chapter all that much and may wish to read the trilogy first before reading.

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"Delia"

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"Delia didn't want kids…" Taylor Braydon said quietly as he sat at the park bench with little baby Alice in his strong metallic arms.

Inspector Gadget, who was sitting to his right and hidden behind the newspaper, looked over at his blonde friend. The subject of Delia, Taylor's ex-wife, was a touchy one. The subject simply wasn't brought up. It had been six months since she had been found to be the Riverton Bomber and also the person behind the explosion that caused Taylor to become half cyborg; not to mention, since her death.

Gadget never brought her up for obvious reasons; he knew it was hard for Taylor to think about her. No matter how nonchalant and unbothered Taylor appeared about the whole thing, Gadget knew better. He knew Taylor had been heartbroken by the whole thing.

"Doesn't surprise me" Gadget heard himself say quietly. He reached a hand over to grab little Alice's hand for a moment before letting go. The little baby cooed and gurgled behind her pacifier. "She didn't come off to me as the type of woman who would."

Taylor gave Alice a small smile, bouncing her gently in his arms and causing the little girl to coo louder in happiness. "I never thought I'd get to raise kids…."

He glanced up at the sound of a woman's laughter. The two of them were sitting at the park, both relaxing while they watched G2 and Penny play with the kids. They were playing with Grace and Maxie, running around and playing hide and seek with them behind the trees.

"You're a good father figure…..Though G2 says you're terrible when it comes to discipline" he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

Taylor smiled bashfully. "I'm a softie, I admit it! But kids get to have so much fun! I hate to take it away from them!"

Gadget nodded, having heard that before. He brought the paper back up to read, under the impression that the conversation was over. Yet Taylor had a lot more on his mind.

"Delia didn't want a lot of things….mainly things that had to do with me…." Taylor continued; his voice back to be quiet and full of emotion. Gadget brought the paper back down and looked to his friend. He had a feeling he knew where this was going. Taylor looked back up and continued to watch G2 and Penny playing with the kids. His attention stayed focused on the dark haired humanoid, who was smiling and unaware of her loved one's sadness. "What I have with G2 is nothing like what I had with Delia….. I never knew a relationship could be this happy….This…loving. Delia didn't like to show her emotions to me much; it was pretty much all boring formal business stuff with her….Especially back in the day when I was still running for mayor. Boy, was that boring stuff she put me through!"

Gadget just sat there and continued to listen; knowing Taylor needed to get all this out. It was the first time he'd really talked about Delia.

"Being mayor had sounded fun at the time, but….I was so happy when I dropped out. Delia was angry though. And then she….." Taylor trailed off, holding Alice a little bit closer. His bottom lip trembled slightly. Gadget sighed, seeing that his friend was having trouble.

"Here" he offered, folding up the paper and placing it beside him. He offered out his arms and took Alice, who was getting ready to fall asleep. "Let it out, Taylor. It's good for you."

With his arms now free, Taylor fidgeted, running his hands up and down his lap. "I guess I shouldn't really be too upset that she set me up for that explosion…after all…..if it wasn't for her…..I wouldn't be this awesome cyborg with man metal the ladies just can't resist!" He smiled, his spirits a little higher as he managed a smile. He turned to Gadget. "I am quite the stud now! Ladies everywhere want me!"

Gadget shook his head and laughed, always finding it so amusing how Taylor believed himself to be such a ladies man now that he was a cyborg. He rubbed a hand over Alice's back as he said, "That's one good way to look at it."

Taylor's smile vanished though as he turned to look at the ground. "I just….Look back and realize that all those years with Delia….and she never even loved me…."Gadget opened his mouth to say something but the deputy cut him off. "I mean, she loved me-But…not….not in the same way as G2 loves me….Or like in the way I love G2…." His eyes once again met to the figure of G2 and Penny playing with the kids in the distance.

After a long pause, Gadget spoke up, "If you could-and Delia was still alive today-would you go back to her?"

Taylor didn't reply right away but when he did, Gadget almost didn't hear his reply. "….No." Taylor shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "She didn't love me. And had she never died….or never handed me that bomb…..I never would have known the truth and I'd probably still be stupidly married to her…"

"Taylor—You're not stupid!" defended Gadget.

Taylor ignored that comment and watched as G2, Penny, and the kids walked up to them. The two men smiled as their loved ones came close. Grace leapt up onto the bench beside Gadget and gave him a side hug. Maxie gave him a large grin as Penny took Alice. G2 leaned down and gave Taylor a quick kiss. As she pulled away she asked, "Did you two find something interesting to talk about as we played with the kids?"

Taylor shook his head, a wan smile on his face. "Not really."

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Author's Note: This chapter was a bit more serious and emtional. It was a look on Taylor's past relationship with Delia and the obvious struggle he still sometimes deals with. Silly Taylor IS capable of holding a serious conversation it seems. It wasn't one he liked having, but as Gadget said, he had to talk about it sometime. Review please!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

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"What's Your Number?"

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"This is boring…."groaned Deputy Taylor Braydon.

Due to the lack of crimes in the city of Riverton, there was not a whole lot for the Deputy to do when he wasn't off trying to catch speeders; not that Chief Quimby would give him any other assignments even if there were.

It was getting late as Taylor leaned up against the row of cabinets, watching Inspector Gadget go through the files in one of the cabinets. The inspector was leaning down a little and not really paying all that much attention to the other man, for he was busy searching for the correct place to put the file. He was using both hands to sift through the files and was using the retractable hand from his hand as an extra hand. Chief Quimby had asked them to take the large stack of case files that had been on his desk for the past month and put them away where they belonged. Both men had been disappointed about the menial task they were asked to do, but it was something to help the time go by.

Gadget had been insistent they finish it all before they left; so here they were, nine o'clock at night; still working. After many frantic and worried phone calls to both G2 and Penny, assuring them both he and Taylor were alright, Gadget vowed never to stay late to work again.

With a cry of triumph, Gadget found the correct place for the file and placed it there, the hand from his hat retracting back inside immediately. "There we go!" he mumbled to himself. He glanced up at Taylor as he reached for another file. "Taylor, I'm sorry, but I really want to get this done. I told you-you could help—"

Taylor shook his head. "No way! Not after what happened in the copy room!"

Gadget sighed. "You made two hundred copies of Chief Quimby's personal records and sent them all throughout personnel. You really can't blame the man for being a little ticked off about that. Besides, that was months ago, Taylor. And this is entirely different-we're just putting away files!"

Taylor crossed his arms and looked indignant. "I THOUGHT that was what he wanted me to make copies of and send out to everyone! You know, Chief Quimby never should have even had that thing on his desk! How stupid do you have to be to leave something like that on your desk?"

Gadget pursed his lips, choosing his words carefully as he found the right place for the next file. He hated to say anything against his friend, but this particular incident had been a bit careless. "You could have at least glanced at it to make sure it was the right document. Besides, you were supposed to make twenty of them. Not two hundred." He reached over and grabbed another case file.

Taylor let out a frustrated groan, looking away. He made a pout like a kid not wanting to admit he was losing at a game. "That copying machine hates me. I swear to you: I hit the zero ONCE!" Gadget smiled and shook his head. It wasn't the first time he had heard Taylor say that something didn't like him. There were a few minutes of silence between the two friends before a thought came to Taylor's mind. A playful smirk appeared on his face as he leaned down to Gadget, who was putting away yet another file.

"Hey, you know I was able to read over the chief's records afterwards" he said this as though he had just played a trick on someone and got away with it. Gadget glanced at him with a frown, clearly showing his dislike of that comment. It was his silent way of saying Taylor shouldn't have done that. Taylor pressed on. "It showed all kinds of stuff about the chief. Very personal stuff."

Gadget continued to act indifferently. Taylor frowned, having hoped his friend would have been more excited, but the playful smirk on his face soon turned to one of gleeful pleasure. His eyes sparkled mischievously as he said, "It even told me his number…"

Now that got Gadget's attention. He set the file aside, now interested. He gave Taylor a confused look. "What number? His phone number?"

Taylor shook his head. "No. His NUMBER."

Gadget shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment. "Oh yes, that's helpful" he told his friend sarcastically.

Taylor sighed dramatically. "Ugh, I didn't think I would have to spell it out to you! His number! You know….how many women he's—"

"I GET IT!" screeched Gadget, his whole face suddenly feeling very warm. He took a moment to compose himself, grateful no one else was around. He glanced around them, seeing that the police station offices were empty. Everyone was downstairs on call. He gave Taylor an apologetic look. "I get it…." He mumbled again. He fixed the collar of his grey trench coat as he thought about what Taylor had said. He looked to Taylor. "That was on his records? Just what kind of records WERE they?"

It was Taylor's turn to look embarrassed. "Marital. Apparently his wife has decided to use each and every one of his exes as witnesses to his bad relationship skills and is trying to make him realize they have marital problems…."

Gadget was silent for a moment. "….I'm seriously surprised you still have your job…."

Taylor nodded. "Me too…."

Another silence fell over them as Gadget went back to putting away the files. After several minutes, Taylor finally asked apprehensively, "So…You want to know his number?"

"NO!" yelped Gadget with a hint of disgust.

Taylor fought back a chortle. "I was actually shocked by the number…."

"I don't care-Don't tell me! I probably won't be able to sleep tonight as it is!"

Taylor waited a moment before asking, "What's your number, Gadget?"

Gadget froze in mid-motion, having just been about to put a file in the right place. He had not been expecting to be asked that. He could feel his face start to heat up again and he wondered if Taylor could see just how much this question was affecting him. The inspector took in a deep breath, put the file away and stood up straight. He turned to Taylor, not sure if he wanted to answer or not. This was not exactly a topic he liked to discuss, mainly because it brought back memories of past mistakes. His impulsive one time with Lula, his affair with Alicia, and his heart break to G2. Gadget was far from proud of his 'number'.

"Well-?" urged Taylor, getting impatient.

"…..Four…"

Taylor looked at him with wide eyes. "Only four?"

Gadget gave Taylor an incredulous look. "ONLY FOUR? What is this, a contest? Yes, only four and I wish I could say it were less!

Taylor's face fell; he had not been expecting this kind of reaction out of his friend. "I-I'm sorry, Gadget. I-I didn't think you would take it this way-I-I was only teasing and playing around."

Gadget sighed, now feeling bad for snapping at him that way; it was just a touchy subject for him. It brought back too many memories of his past mistakes. "No, it's okay….I shouldn't have snapped. It's just…..a hard topic for me…." He turned and grabbed another file to put away.

After another silence; this one awkward, Taylor shuffled his feet nervously before saying, "Mine is two…"

At first Gadget wasn't sure what he had said because the deputy had spoken so softly, but it then clicked and he understood. He put the file away and turned to his friend. "Delia was your first?"

Taylor nodded; a solemn look on his face. He didn't like talking about Delia. "Yep. Just two. Measly old two…."

Gadget cocked his head to one side. "Taylor, that's not a bad thing. You should be proud. You were loyal to Delia and now you'll be loyal to G2. Why you have it in your head that sleeping with dozens of women and having them gushing all over you is something to be proud of, I have no idea."

Taylor shrugged. "I like feeling loved and being fawned over…."

"So do I, but you don't see me strutting down the street and bragging to every female I see."

"I'm not THAT bad" defended Taylor.

"Please…..at the chocolate factory-the only thing you could think of was how your 'man metal' would taste to women when you should have been worried about the fact that you had ruined a huge vat of chocolate and was nearly sued by the company…."

Taylor couldn't help but grin widely at the memory. "That was a good day…." His smile though turned to a frown a moment later. "I don't know….I like the idea of women being all over me…"

Gadget nodded, resting a hand on Taylor's shoulders. "Every man likes to feel that way, but if you find the right woman, you should only need one to make you feel like the luckiest man alive… You shouldn't have to feel like you need to think of that stuff all the time….."

"You're right….Thanks, Gadget" Taylor smiled, thinking about what he had with G2. Though his smile soon faded the more he thought out about. He bit his lip, unsure if that was going to be the case. Though his thoughts were interrupted when he glanced at the name of the next file Gadget had to put away. He looked down, craning his neck to read the name on it. "'The Wet Bandits'?" he read. He then started bursting out laughing. "That's what they call themselves?" he said between laughs. "What kind of a name is THAT? It sounds like they're always—"

"DON'T EVEN SAY IT!" hollered Gadget, knowing exactly what Taylor was about to say for he knew how his friend's thought process went. "We JUST had this conversation!"

Taylor backed off a bit, knowing his friend was right, but as he got his laughter under control, he couldn't help but ask, "I wonder what their numbers are…."

Gadget groaned, feeling the sudden urge to bang his head into the cabinets.

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Author's Note: hahahaha. I added that last bit for the fun of it! Just a conversation I thought needed to happen between these two. It's something Taylor would ask, simply because he's the way he is. Review please! Be gentle, I don't like flamers.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

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"Uncle Taylor"

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"Hmmm….." whimpered Taylor Braydon has he shoved his face deeper into the soft white pillow beneath him. The sunshine that was currently pouring in through the adjacent window was doing nothing to help keep him sleep. The dream he was having was quite enjoyable and involved him being a hero surrounded by pretty women. He didn't wish to wake up from it just yet.

He settled into a comfortable spot, finding a part of the pillow that was still cold and from lack of sleeping on. He loved cold pillows and snuggling into frigid bed sheets. He moved his head to the side, his blonde hair messy from a long night's sleep.

There was silence in the bedroom save for the soft ticking of the clock on the table next to the bed. Just as Taylor was about to fall deeper in into sleep, there was movement on the other side of the king sized bed he was currently laying in.

G2, once the partner in crime to Inspector Gadget, stretched and as sat up on her elbow, smiling down at Taylor. She pulled the spaghetti strap of her powder blue nightgown properly up on her shoulder before taking a hand and stroking Taylor's hair lightly, enjoying the feel of his hair through her fingers.

"Taylor, sweetie, it's time to get up" she whispered softly to him.

Taylor's nose wrinkled and his eyebrows furrowed together at the sound of her voice. "Hmmm…"he whimpered again, turning to look the other way.

G2 ran a hand through her dark hair, holding back a giggle. She was used to Taylor's antics in the morning. Taylor was not a morning person; he enjoyed staying in bed and sleeping in. "Come on, sweetie. You have to get up so that you can go to work soon."

"Hmmm…..five more minutes….mommy…" mumbled Taylor, grabbing a handful of sheets and wrapping them closer around him. He turned his head again so that he was facing her. G2 blinked down at him, yet smiled. It was not the first time he had called her mommy when he was half asleep. G2 often found Taylor endearing for being such a childlike adult during times like this.

She grinned down at him, thinking of an idea that would definitely wake up her slumbering boyfriend. She leaned down and gave the half cyborg a kiss on the cheek, enjoying the feel of his cybernetic skin. At the touch of her kiss, Taylor smiled goofily and he made a content sound as he moved so that he was lying on his back. "Hmmm….I like that…."

G2's smiled broadened as she leant down and kissed him again, only this time firmly on the lips. Taylor didn't kiss back at first since he was still half asleep, but after G2 continued to kiss him, he slowly started kissing back, becoming more awake with each moment. He opened his eyes to see G2 above him and his smile grew even wider.

"Hi…" he greeted between kisses.

"Hello, sweetie. I knew this would wake you up" smiled G2. She pushed off some of the sheets from herself before they started to get too tangled.

While she was doing that, Taylor took his opportunity to stretch and yawn loudly. He blinked his eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them before looking back to G2. "I don't wanna get up…." He whined.

G2 cocked her head to the side sympathetically. "I know, but you have to do to work otherwise Chief Quimby will be furious."

"Ugh…..don't remind me….He's always mad at me about something….." He looked G2 in the eyes and smiled. He raised his arms up and gently wrapped them around G2's neck, pulling her closer. "I wish I could stay here in bed with you all day….." He pulled her closer until he was able to kiss her, the kiss lasting for several long passionate moments.

Once they broke apart, G2 tried speaking, "Taylor-Don't. We don't have time for this. You have to get up and get ready for work and I have to go get Grace up for school and check on Alice."

Taylor grimaced slightly, knowing it was true. He loved the girls dearly, but he just wanted to spend some time with his lover. "Ahhh, come on….Please…..It'll be quick….You should have known better than to wake me up this way! You knew I would want this…..Please…." He smirked playfully, a sparkle in his eyes. "You know you want some of my man metal…."

G2 laughed, having always found it amusing when Taylor called it that. "It is tempting…" she admitted, scooting closer to Taylor's body. She slid her hands underneath the sheets, running her hand further down his toned body and down to his boxer shorts. She teased him by playing with the waistband.

"Hmmm….Come on!" he pleaded, pulling her closer once more to kiss her. "The girls are still asleep! Let them get some more sleep before the day begins!"

The kiss only lasted what seemed like a second before the sudden faint crying of baby Alice filled the room. The broke apart at the sound and Taylor unwrapped his arms from her neck with a sigh. G2 quickly pulled the rest of the sheets off her and stepped onto the carpeted floor, quickly making her way to the door as she slipped on a thin green robe. "Sorry, sweetie, I need to check on Alice."

Taylor sadly watched her go from where he was still lying on the bed. "It's okay! So long as Alice is alright!" he called after her. He loved Grace and Alice like his own kids, but in the back of his mind, he knew they weren't actually his. He knew it shouldn't bother him, but at the same time, it still did. He wanted his own family and not just part of someone else's. He supposed he was much better off than he had been with Delia and he should be grateful for that.

With a sigh, Taylor figured now would be a better time than ever to get up and start getting ready for work. He silently cursed at his arousal and did his best to make it go away as he sat up in bed. He sat at the edge of the bed and rubbed at his eyes until he heard the faint shuffled steps of someone at the door. He glanced up at the doorway to see Grace standing at the doorway in her little pink night gown.

"Uncle Taylor, is it time to get up?" she asked blearily, obviously still trying to wake herself up.

Taylor started at this, staring at her. She had never called him that before. "D-Did you just call me, 'Uncle Taylor'?"

Grace's bright eyes widened as she gave a gasp and covered her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry! Am I not allowed to do that?" She put her hands behind her back and shuffled her feet. "I—I just figured I could…you know? You're not my daddy-but I still think of you as family. You make mommy really happy and you've been with her for a while….I guess-I guess I see you as an uncle…..but I won't call you that if you don't want me to."

Taylor was quick to reassure her. He raised his arms up. "Oh, no! Grace—It's okay! You can call me that! It just caught me off guard, that's all!" He smiled warmly at her, gesturing for her to come over to him. He reached over and put some of the sheets over his lap as she walked over before picking her up and placing her on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, pushing back some of her hair from her face. He held her close, looking into her face. "I'm happy to be your 'uncle' and I easily see her as a niece. I would gladly call you my daughter, but we both know that's not true…."

Gave nodded, a serious look on her young face. He smiled at her, which brightened her mood. "But you can always call me Uncle Taylor!"

"Thanks….Uncle Taylor" she grinned. She snuggled closer to his bare chest, a mischievous grin on her face. "So…..does this mean you can drive me to school? Maybe even with the sirens on….?" She looked up at him hopefully, praying that he wouldn't disapprove of the idea. She had gotten the idea when some of her friends from school liked the idea of her mom dating a deputy sheriff.

Taylor pursed his lips together, leaning back slightly. This made Grace frown, afraid that he would say no. He took in a long dramatic breath, putting Grace at the edge of her seat as she waited impatiently. He gave her a sneaky look. "Well…I'M all for it. But now the tricky thing is….is making sure mommy doesn't find out."

"Yes!" hoorayed Grace with a mini fist pump.

He smiled broadly, his sneaky look still on his face. "It'll be dangerous work though, missy!" he told her dramatically, over exaggerating the situation greatly. "We might have to dodge of few bullets—" Grace started laughing at his antics. "We might have to save a few people— Top secret explosives might be involved-"

"Uncle Taylor! You're being silly!" she laughed, pushing him lightly in the chest.

"Silly is my middle name!" teased Taylor with an air of confidence. "Now, we'd best hurry before the soldiers from Russia get involved!" He bounced her off his lap, watching as she darted down the hallway in an excited run.

"Whoops! Sorry, mommy!" cried Grace once she was out the door. A moment later, G2 walked through the door after checking on Alive, clearly having just avoided getting run over by Grace. She gave Taylor a baffled look.

"What did you DO to her?" she demanded, having a tough time keeping a straight face.

Taylor stood up and shrugged. "I have the magic charm."G2 crossed her arms and waited, knowing there was more. Taylor saw her look and decided to change the subject. He didn't want to spoil the fun he and Grace had planned for he knew G2 wouldn't approve. He stepped close and kissed her before saying, "She called me 'Uncle Taylor'!"

G2 blinked at this. "Really?" she asked elatedly.

Taylor nodded. "Yes! It was great! I mean-I wish I could say she was mine-err-ours…"he trailed off after that, looking away.

G2 nodded, understanding. It was no secret that Taylor wanted to have kids of his own. He also wished to get married, but that was simply something G2 refused to do. She had been married and it hadn't ended well. She didn't want things to end with Taylor and knew it possibly could if they got married. Marriage was something she no longer had an interest for.

G2 caressed his cheek and smiled and they spent a moment staring into each other's eyes. A frown then appeared on her face as she asked, "Alright, seriously, what did you do to make her so hyperactive?"

Taylor crossed his arms proudly; a smug look on his face. "Oh, nothing! I just got her excited to go to school, that's all! Top that!" He goaded a bit and pointed a finger at her like a little kid bully.

G2 just shook her head, knowing she would find out the truth eventually.

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Author's Note: This was just a little preview of the daily morning routine for Taylor and G2. This is also the moment when Grace starts calling Taylor her Uncle. Very tender and sweet. This is also the first time the idea of Taylor taking Grace to school with the sirens on came about.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Alive Riva.

Author's Note: This is actually a prequel of sorts to my one-shot from chapter 2, "Chocolate Factory".

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"Self-Destruct"

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"What do you think the chief has for us?" was the question on both of men's minds as they walked closer and closer to Chief Quimby's office. Inspector Gadget glanced over at his blonde friend, regarding his well-asked question with a smile.

"I'm not sure, Taylor, but whatever it is, should be better than patrolling and catching speeders!" the inspector replied.

Deputy Taylor Braydon nodded full heartedly. "You've got that right! Sitting out there in the middle of nowhere on the highway with no one but the Gadget Mobile as company—"

"Hey!" frowned Gadget. "Gadget Mobile is my friend!"

"I know! But I don't think he likes me much!" complained Taylor.

The two of them weren't able to say much more as they reached Chief Quimby's door. Gadget opened the door for them, stepping in first and stopping in front of Quimby's desk respectively. Taylor copied him and stood at his side. They both had their hands behind their back.

Chief Quimby, who had been reading something from a file, looked up at them, a weary look on this face. He leaned back in his chair. "Alright boys, I actually have an assignment for you two."

"An assignment? Like an actual case?" beamed Taylor, getting excited.

"Cool it, Braydon" growled Quimby with a sneer in Taylor's direction. "It's just a security assignment." He showed them a small piece of paper and handed it over to Gadget. A wave of déjà vu came over the inspector as he remembered the good old days when Quimby would hand him little notes with his assignments on them, determining the next move Dr. Claw would be making. A shiver of excitement ran through his cyborg body at the memories of those times.

Taylor leaned over, practically shoving himself next to Gadget's face so that he could get a look at the note as well. Gadget didn't seem to notice though and read what was on the note. To anyone who was watching, both inspector and deputy didn't move as they read, their eyes, scanning back and forth across the notes as they read, the only part of them moving.

Gadget read aloud: "Greetings: We are happy to announce that we are in need of your assistance. Our chocolate factory is going to be having a press conference and we wish for your best men to be there in case the crowd gets rowdy. We are revealing a new type of candy and there are dozens of candy companies who would love to get their hands on the recipe. We are afraid something might happen at the press conference, so we wish for you to be there for back up. Thank you and good day, Mark Russet, - Factory Owner."

Taylor made a sound of interest, still looking at the note, as Gadget looked up at Quimby. "Was it really necessary to send us a note like this? Don't they call?"

Quimby shrugged. "Evidently not."

Taylor, who had still been looking at the note, spoke up. "Hey, you forgot the last bit!" He read from the note, "'P.S. This note will self-destruct.' Taylor paused and though about that a moment. "Cool!"

Quimby frowned at this and leaned further into his chair, remembering all the times Gadget would carelessly throw the self-destructing notes at him.

But neither inspector nor deputy seemed to notice. "Don't worry, chief. We're on it!" assured Gadget, the hand from his hat coming out and giving him a salute.

Taylor watched the hand retract back into Gadget's hand and silently wish he could do that as well. Instead, he just gave a normal salute. He snatched the note from Gadget's hand. "This'll be neat! We're actually going to be doing something! I wonder if we'll get to taste any of the chocolate!"

"I don't know, Taylor, but I can tell you one thing—" He wrapped an arm around Taylor's shoulders as they turned and stepped out of Quimby's office. "This reminds me of the times when there was actual crime in Riverton and just about every day I was faced with different assignments involving Dr. Claw himself!"

"Really? I heard about all that! Tell me about some of the stuff you used to do!" cried Taylor happily like a little kid wanting to hear a story. Now focused on Gadget's stories, he crumpled up the note and tossed it over his shoulder, both of them having completely forgotten about the warning Taylor had read out at the end of the note.

Quimby flinched as he watched the note be tossed through the air and when it landed on his desk, he quickly tried to get up from his chair to avoid it, but his belt got caught on the arm chair and the note self-destructed before he could do anything. It gave off a small bang and smoke filled the office as he was covered in soot. He growled in anger. "Ughh…..Why did it have to be a self-destructing note….I got rid of those for a reason….."

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Author's Note: Just was just a quick one. This is lightly based off the cartoon and how Gadget always threw the self-destructing bombs at Quimby. I thought it would be fun to do it with these two.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

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"Hero"

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"Help! Somebody help! There is a fire!" came the cry of a distressed woman.

Deputy Taylor Braydon had been walking down the street in downtown Riverton when he had heard the cry for help. He had been walking along, minding his own business, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his brown jacket and humming an odd tune as he went.

When he heard the cry he looked on ahead where there was a clothing store that had caught fire. A sense of thrill surged through his half cyborg body, knowing this was his chance to be the hero he had always wanted to be. With a large grin, he started running down the sidewalk until he had reached the store, faintly aware of a crowd forming from behind him as he started breaking the glass window with his elbow.

With a shattering crash, the window broke and Taylor climbed through the window and into the flames that filled the store. "I'm here, maiden! I'm here to rescue you!" he called out through the store, looking through all the fire and smoke.

There, in the middle of the floor, sat a short haired blonde woman in a pencil skirt and dress jacket. Her eyes landed on Taylor. "Oh! Deputy Braydon! Is that you?"

"That is me! I'm here!" he called to her proudly. He stepped over to her, mindful of the smoke and easily picked her up with his strong cyborg arms.

"Oh!" she cried out in alarm as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly as he walked back through the flames and towards the entrance of the store. He climbed back through the broken store window and onto the sidewalk safety. The woman coughed a bit before saying, "Oh, thank you so much!" She leaned close to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Taylor blushed a deep red as he let her back down on her feet. The fire behind them continued to roar on, but no one seemed to notice as all eyes went to Taylor. A large crowd of women started making their way towards him, all wanting to be close to the handsome deputy.

"You're so great, Taylor!" one of the women said.

"You're a hero!" another shouted to him.

"We love you!" cried someone else.

Taylor just flashed a great big smile at them, feeling the woman he had recused start to tug on the sleeve of his shoulder. "Yes, yes, my dear. I know I saved you. You're very welcome!" he said without looking at her. He gave her a quick kiss before turning to the other women.

Though the tugging proceeded, he ignored it completely, listening to all the compliments he was getting from the women that now surrounded him.

"You're the best!"

"You're Riverton's greatest hero!"

"You're so amazing with your cybernetic body!"

Taylor turned to the dark haired woman who had said that. He flashed her a sexy smile. "You have no idea….Perhaps you would like to check it out for yourself…" He grinned mischievously at her as the woman giggled happily as she blushed. "I have amazing man metal…."

Taylor then became aware of the insistent tugging from the woman he had saved once again. It was really starting to annoy him. It was at this moment that the crowd of women began to chant his name.

"Taylor! Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!"

He just smiled and waved at them, wrapping his arms around two beautiful women, enjoying every minute of his fame and popularity.

"BRAYDON!"

Taylor flinched, his bright eyes going wide at the loud voice, and fell completely out of his chair with a crash. The sidewalk, the burning store, and the sea of women vanished before his eyes and was replaced with the backside of someone else's wooden chair and the familiar walls of the police station.

Having been jolted and shocked being belief, Taylor panted slightly as he got his bearings. He looked up to see the furious purple faced Chief Quimby sneering down at him. He glanced to his right to see his best friend and partner in crime, Inspector Gadget, sitting next to him, a look of pity on his face as he looked down at him.

Taylor looked around him to see that he was sitting in the midst of all the other officers of Riverton, now remembering that he had been in a staff meeting; a very boring one. The other officers were glaring at him, shaking their heads in annoyance.

"Braydon!" began Quimby who was in front of him. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you! How DARE you fall asleep in the middle of a staff meeting! I oughta have you thrown out of here for that!"

Taylor's mouth opened and closed for a moment as he tried to think of what to say. He was vaguely aware of Gadget using his metallic stretch arms to help pick up his chair, which had fallen. Taylor climbed back into the seat once Gadget placed it upright. Everyone's eyes were still on him.

"I—I'm sorry, sir! I-Must've dozed off—" he fumbled.

Chief Quimby's lips formed a straight line and his face turned a few shades darker of purple. Just when everyone thought he was going to explode, the man turned around and took in several deep breaths before saying, "Everyone dismissed! NOW!"

No one waited another moment and everyone got up and left, knowing the chief was not in the mood for slackers. Taylor and Gadget were the last ones to leave. As they were heading out the door and Gadget was opening up the door for them, Taylor leaned in and asked, "I fell asleep?"

Gadget nodded. "Yeah, I'd been trying to get you awake for a good ten minutes before Quimby noticed."

Taylor thought about it for a minute. "Did you call out my name?"

Gadget shrugged. "I didn't call it; I whispered it, but yeah. And I tried shaking you a bit in hopes that would help…."

It was all starting to click with him. "Oh…."

It was Gadget's turn to ask the question as they stepped out onto the streets of Riverton. "What were you dreaming about?"

"How do you know I was dreaming?"

Gadget hated to insult his friend, but sometimes the truth was the best way to go about things. "You were smiling stupidly and drooling a bit…"

"Really?" Taylor smiled and laughed at himself. "It WAS a good dream."

"What was it about?"

Taylor stared off dreamily as they approached the Gadget Mobile. "I was a hero….."

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Author's Note: Just a little idea I came up with. Taylor seems like the type to fall asleep and daydream about being a hero when he should be paying attention to Quimby's meeting. Lol Hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Rating: T

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"Never Speak of It"

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"Hey, you two, we'll be right back! G2 and I both need some mascara!" Penny Brown told the two men sitting on the couch.

Inspector Gadget and Deputy Taylor Braydon both looked up at her with the same confused look on their faces. It was as though the woman before them had spoken a different language. Taylor blinked before asking, "Isn't that a type of fungus?"

Penny stopped rummaging through her purse in search for her keys to stare down at Taylor incredulously. "No! It's make-up."

Both men seem to deflate deeper into the couch they were laying on.

Oh, that stuff.

Penny looked up as G2 walked into the room. She looked to Penny. "I just got off the phone with Lula. Everything is fine over at her house."

"She's sure she doesn't mind watching the kids tonight?" asked Penny worriedly.

G2 shook her head. "Not at all. She knows it's been forever since the four of us have managed to have a good night out." Penny nodded. The android then turned her attention to the two despondent men on the couch. "We'll be right back. We just need some mascara."

"Yeah. Penny told us…" mumbled Gadget, fidgeting with his black tux. For once, he was not wearing his infamous grey trench coat, but instead, he was wearing a nice tuxedo. The girls had wanted to do something special with their boyfriends since they hadn't been on a proper date in months thanks to their kids and jobs. It was going to be a classy, romantic night and they wanted everything to go well. Which meant both Taylor and Gadget had to wear tuxedos. Penny and G2 were both wearing fancy cocktail dresses once they changed and got their make-up on. But sadly, they both were out of mascara.

"We'll be back shortly!" called G2 as the two women walked through the front door and shut it behind them.

Taylor and Gadget sat on the couch side by side in silence for several minutes, both listening to the car door open and close and the car engine roar to life and leave the driveway.

Taylor scratched the back of his neck as he tried to think of some conversation. "So, mascara, huh?"

Gadget nodded.

"They couldn't have thought about this when they were in the store together earlier today?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Gadget shrugged. "Guess not."

After another moment of silence, a mischievous grin appeared on Taylor's pale face. He glanced over at Gadget. "So….after this romantic night….I have some big plans for me and G2. Do you have any plans for you and Penny?" he asked lasciviously.

Gadget's face began to warm up a little at this question as he frowned at his friend. "What do you mean?"

Taylor laughed. "You know what I mean! Don't act dumb!"

Gadget sighed. "I have an idea of what you mean, but I'm not saying anything."

Taylor turned in his spot on the couch so that he was facing Gadget a bit more. "Come on! After a fancy evening dinner with your girlfriend, you go home, have a few bottles of champagne, get cozy on the bed and—"

Gadget's face was now twice as hot as it was a moment ago. "Okay! I get it!" he snapped nervously, raising his arms up in defense.

Taylor, amused by how nervous Gadget was, continued to goad him. "Why do you always get so nervous whenever someone starts talking about se-"

"I don't know, I just do!" Gadget interrupted him. "It's not something I like to talk about!"

Taylor's smirk widened. "Oh, come on! Just say it! Sex!" Gadget practically flinched at the word. "Sex! Sex! Sex!"

"Taylor!" growled Gadget, now getting annoyed with his friend.

"Just say it!" urged the blonde deputy.

"I don't have to do anything!" snarled Gadget, his temper truly starting to flare up. Without another thought he said, "Gadget mode off", just to be safe. He saw the little red message in his eye to confirm his gadgets were now off. He didn't want to risk hurting Taylor over something so stupid.

Taylor backed off a bit, now knowing just how angry he had made his friend. He frowned. "Hey, I'm sorry. I was just messing with you. No need to get all upset. I just don't understand why you have such a tough time talking about sex."

Gadget shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know. It's just….a subject I don't like to talk about. Maybe it's because for so many years I wasn't even able to think of…..that. Because I couldn't do…that. You know? It…It all goes back to the explosion I was in….It really took a lot from me…"

Taylor nodded slowly, a sad look on his face. He had heard all that his friend had gone through before they had met and knew some parts of Gadget's past were touchy subjects. After a few moments of silence he said, "But….you have it so good…"

Gadget blinked at him. "What?"

Taylor shrugged as he tried to think of the best way to put his thoughts into words. "I said you have it so good. I mean…." He looked Gadget in the eyes. "You're Inspector Gadget."

Gadget just stared at him, not sure where his friend was going with this.

Seeing his confusion, Taylor pressed on. "I mean, you're a hero! Everyone knows you! Everyone looks up to you! You're Riverton's greatest hero! You're the first prototype cyborg! You have all those amazing gadgets! I wish so much I could have the kind of gadgets you have! You're almost completely cyborg! I'm barely even half cyborg! You're so lucky!"

Gadget took in a deep breath; planning out what he was going to say next. He was very aware of Taylor's fascination with cybernetics, though he feared Taylor just didn't understand that not everyone wanted to be a cyborg. Especially not Gadget, who would do just about anything to be fully human again. "Taylor-It's not that simple—"

He wasn't able to continue though as Taylor pushed himself closer to Gadget, making the older man lean back a bit in surprise. "What's it like to be you, Gadget? To have cybernetics and have the women all over you?"

Gadget chuckled nervously at both Taylor's statement and his sudden close proximity which seem to keep getting closer. "I can assure you Taylor; all the women are not all over me like you seem to think so."

It was suddenly very apparent just how close Taylor was to Gadget. Both men were aware of it; though instead of scooting away to his own side of the couch, Taylor just stayed where he was, inches away from Gadget's face.

Silence filled the air around them, both forgetting about time altogether and just staring at each other. There really was no way to describe it; neither of them understood what was happening. They had just been sitting there talking and before they knew it, they were inches away from each other.

Then Taylor whispered, "I want to be just like you, Gadget."

Licking his dry lips before speaking, Gadget said quietly, "Trust me, Taylor, I'm not all that great…. It's you I envy…"

"What?"

"You lived through an explosion just like I did and yet you managed to hold onto more of your humanity. Not only that, but you actually had a say in what would happen to you. I didn't get any kind of say. At least you got what you wanted; to be a cyborg. I didn't want to be a cyborg. I wanted to be myself; human. I envy you because you're happy with the result of the explosion. You came out of it just fine. You're a handsome guy with money, a good job, a woman who loves you—"

"You have all that stuff too, Gadget—" Taylor reminded him.

"Not at first! I had years of loneliness before now! Being the prototype cyborg wasn't easy, you know!"

Taylor didn't say anything after that and silence fell between them once again. Taylor was still just as close to Gadget and it was starting to make his stomach fill with butterflies. He wasn't sure why he was feeling this way; all he had to do was take his hand and push Taylor away, but there was a part of him that didn't want to. It seemed Taylor felt the same way because all he had to do was lean back and move.

Both men leaned in closer, their eyes shutting as their lips met.

It was gentle and soft at first before they pulled each other closer to deepen the kiss. Without realizing it, Gadget had grabbed Taylor's arms, pulling him closer. The deputy didn't hesitate and pulled himself closer as they continued to kiss. Taylor took a hand and brushed it through Gadget's dark hair, which was clearly visible since he wasn't wearing his hat.

For several long, passionate minutes, the two of them stayed like that, both experimenting with the other. Testing out what the other tasted like. The two of them had been best friends for quite some time now and both of them had a reason to envy the other. It was only natural that they would be curious about the other. It was human nature. They both wanted something that the other had.

Curiosity made you do crazy things.

Both of them probably wouldn't admit just how much they were enjoying this. It felt oddly strange yet satisfying at the same time.

Neither man knew how much time had gone by before they heard the closing of the car door. They both flinched at the sound and pulled apart, their eyes wide. Taylor scrambled to the other side of the couch; both of them straightening themselves up nervously.

They were both breathing a bit hard and staring at the floor before them when the front door opened and Penny and G2 walked back in.

"Penny!" exclaimed Gadget happily.

"G2!" cried Taylor just as happily.

Both men jumped up from the couch and quickly walked up to their girlfriends, hugging them close. Both Penny and G2 made surprised sounds as their boyfriends came and hugged them tightly.

When they broke apart, the girls looked at each other; baffled.

"My! What's all this about?" questioned G2.

Taylor shrugged; his movements making it look like he was on a sugar high. Gadget looked just as fidgety. Penny narrowed her eyes at Gadget. "What happened?"

Taylor and Gadget both felt their faces turn hot. "Nothing!" squeaked Gadget. "Uh….We're just happy to see you and excited for our date!" He leaned in and went to give Penny a kiss on the lips, but the events of the last few minutes came to mind and he kissed her on the cheek instead.

G2 and Penny looked at each, unconvinced. "Well, whatever you two are up to, I'm sure we'll find out eventually. There is always trouble with Taylor around."

Taylor chuckled at this comment and accepted the kiss she gave him on the cheek as G2 walked by. Both women walked towards the stairs and up into their rooms.

"We just need to change real fast and put some make-up on! "called Penny from the stairs.

Both Taylor and Gadget nodded, watching them go.

A nervous silence filled the air between the two men as they were once again left alone. After a painstakingly long minute, Gadget turned to Taylor. "Taylor?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's never speak of this again."

Taylor nodded. "Agreed."

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Author's Note: Oh, boy! That was fun! Slash! I love slash! Oh, I'm terrible! LOL Please don't flame, if you don't have anything nice to say in the review, don't post one. Thank you!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

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"Microchips"

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"I love the sun!" shouted Deputy Taylor Braydon as he stood there with a large grin on his face and his slightly tan arms up in the air.

Everyone was currently at the Riverton pool, trying their best to keep cool on the hot day. It was a Saturday, meaning everyone was off and thinking the exact same thing: swimming.

Inspector Gadget sat on one of the white lawn chairs that were provided by the pool and sifted through a bag that he had dropped at his feet. Inside the bag were some basics: sun tan lotion, sunglasses, beach towels, and money. He pulled out one of the beach towels and laid it down on the hot cement beside him for the kids to use later. Gadget, Taylor, G2, and Penny had thought today would be the perfect day to bring the kids out to go swimming.

"Daddy, can you put some sunscreen on my back?" asked Emily as she walked up to Gadget. Gadget smiled up at her, still sitting.

"Sure, sweetie" he smiled. He reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen and started applying it to his daughter's back. Lula had even managed to get off work and spend the day with her daughter and her daughter's father. Lula sat in a chair next to Gadget and smiled at the sight of seeing Emily and Gadget getting along so well. She didn't have any regrets in the fling-type relationship they had shared together, because now she was blessed to have little Emily while her husband was away.

Lula pulled her blonde hair into a pony tail before applying some of her own sunscreen.

Penny was several feet away trying to get Maxie to put on some sunscreen and not having nearly as much luck with the impatient boy. "Mom, I'm fine! You put enough on!" he wailed, wanting to get into the water.

Penny shook her head, not buying it. She held onto her son's arm gently yet firmly. "Just hold still a minute! The water isn't going anywhere! I just don't want you to get sun burn and be miserable the rest of the weekend!"

Taylor was the only one who wasn't trying to work with the kids. He watched from a distance as G2, his girlfriend, take care of little Alice as she set up a little umbrella and baby seat for the child to sit in and not get too much sun. Lula was now helping Grace put some sunscreen on since Gadget was busy with Emily.

Taylor pursed his lips, feeling as though he should be helping, but at the same time, knowing it wasn't his place. He had no connection to any of them, unlike Lula. At least little Emily was hers and Gadget's. Taylor was the only one who wasn't related to one of the kids. Taylor shook his head as dark thoughts came to mind about his past and smiled out at the large swimming pool now bustling with kids.

Thanks to the fact that he was half cyborg, Taylor didn't have to worry about getting a sun burn, along with Gadget and G2. That just made being a cyborg all the better: he had always hated having to put that creamy stuff on.

"Thanks, Daddy!" giggled Emily once Gadget was done with her.

Penny grimaced as she watched Maxie run off towards the pool after being forced to wait as she put lotion on him. "I wish Maxie would have been that patient with me! Or at least of said thanks!"

Once Lula was done with Grace, the young girl walked up to Emily. "Come on, let's go!" she told the other girl. The adults watched as the two girls ran off to the pool together to go play.

"Alright, now that the kids are happy…" began Penny. She unzipped her shorts and tossed them near the bag at Gadget's feet. Her top was the next to go and she threw it to the bag as well. This left her wearing nothing but a red bikini; a red bikini that Gadget had never seen before. A red bikini that made Gadget notice every little curve to Penny's slim, attractive body.

The dark haired inspector politely looked away, very aware that they were in a very public place with lots of small children running around. He scratched the back of his neck. "Is that a new suit?" he asked.

Penny smiled down at him, a seductive look to it. "Yes, it is. Do you like it?"

Gadget nodded silently, not saying anything else. Penny could tell how nervous he was and smiled.

Lula and G2 followed suit and took off their outfits so that they were in nothing but their bathing suits. Lula wore a simple black one piece while G2 wore a navy blue and white bikini with floral patterns. Taylor had already ripped off his shirt; leaving him in his red swimming trunks.

G2 smiled over at Taylor, who looked as though he was itching to dive into the pool as he stared at it, and came up from behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her head on his shoulder. Taylor felt a shiver of pleasure as she pushed her body up against his own. His smile widened as his bright eyes sparkled. "Hey you…" she whispered into his ear.

Taylor turned to look at her with a smile. "Hi" he replied before turning and giving her a kiss. When they broke apart Taylor noticed her bathing suit and he stepped back to get a better look at her. He was awe at the sight of her. It was far from the first time he'd seen so much of G2, but he had never seen her in a bathing suit before. What the deputy found most fascinating was that he was able to see her flesh looking skin in the sunlight and see the faint microchips glisten. He pulled her closer, loving the feel of her. Just when G2 thought he was going to kiss her again, Taylor whipped his head around to look at Gadget. He noted that the inspector was still wearing a thin white tank top along with his dark blue swim trunks.

"Gadget! You haven't taken off your shirt yet!" he accused.

G2 blinked at him, wondering what had just happened. "So what if he hasn't taken it off?"

Gadget looked up at Taylor with wide eyes. "Yes….why does it matter?"

"We're at the pool! It's hot out! It's what you do!" argued Taylor.

"You're a very strange person, you know that, Taylor?" Lula spoke up from the other side of Gadget. She had been sitting there contently reading a magazine she had brought.

Taylor turned away a bit from G2, but wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her close. "And why's that?" he called over to her.

"You have the most strangest of fetishes. You love the idea of cybernetics so much you're willing to make yourself a complete cyborg—"

"Can you do that?" demanded Taylor excitedly, interrupting Lula.

Lula acted as though he hadn't spoken. "—You are constantly putting everything into a sexual context and not even being aware of it, and you are obsessed with seeing people's microchips even at the most inappropriate of times."

Taylor sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Is this about the cocktail party? I said I was sorry! But in my defense, just about every other uncivilized brute in that place had their eyes on that woman's chest and for completely different reasons than I did! At least MY intentions were simply out of scientific interest! It's not MY fault her dress made her microchips so noticeable!"

Gadget mumbled something incoherently and forced back a laugh. Taylor frowned down at the inspector. "Oh, shut up, Gadget! You big meanie!" Taylor crossed his arms and pouted until G2 wrapped her arms around Taylor's neck and pulled him closer.

"Come on, Taylor….Let's go for a swim" she cooed at him, taking a hand and playing with his hair.

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It had been an hour since the large group of friends had gotten together at the pool. After having had a break with the kids and getting them something to eat, the kids had gone back out to play in the pool.

Taylor and G2 had gone in and swam around for a bit. Taylor had spent most of the time showing G2 and the others all the different ways he could swim like a fish.

It was after an hour of swimming with Penny and carrying her around on his shoulders as she laughed and played with the kids did he finally find himself sitting back at the chair with their stuff. He took a towel and wiped off his face. He glanced down around them at all their stuff and smiled. Six months ago, when he was still recovering the Riverton Bomber blast, he never would have guessed that he would be able to swim and do activities like this again. It was a good feeling knowing that that was all behind him. He wiped his face again as a shadow came over top of him.

He smiled. "I know you're there Penny…you can't sneak up on me…." He spoke softly and gently to the woman he loved. His smile grew as he felt her hand fall onto his shoulder. He turned his head to look at her, closing his eyes and knowing she would lean in for a kiss.

Gadget flinched though when he was suddenly pushed around by the shoulder and when he opened his eyes, he nearly fell out of the chair in shock.

Taylor had whipped him around and was now staring down at him, his eyes focusing on his chest. He was dripping yet from being in the water. Gadget just stared with wide eyes, panting slightly from the shock. "My God, Taylor! You scared me, I thought you were Penny!"

Taylor shook his head. "Nope. I have way to much man metal to be Penny" he said offhandedly.

Gadget felt his face go hot and not because of the warm weather or the sun. "What are you doing?"

"I want to see your microchips! I never did get to see them!" explained Taylor, closing looking at the microchips that glistened on Gadget's chest. They went down in a straight row in the middle of his chest. Personally this was not something Gadget liked to look at on his body, for it only reminded him of what he had lost and what parts of humanity he no longer had.

"Alright, alright! You saw them! Now will you please stop staring!" exclaimed Gadget as he got himself up and pushed the other man away. He used his towel to help cover his chest.

"I like your microchips better than mine" commented Taylor with a frown.

Gadget raised an eyebrow at him as a young child ran past them happily screaming. He looked to make sure it wasn't his own kid before turning back to Taylor and asking, "Why?"

"…I don't know…I just do…." Mumbled the blonde.

Gadget was about to open his mouth up and speak when Lula, Penny, and G2 came walking back. The girls respectively walked up to their boyfriends and hugged them close before kissing them. Lula simply smiled and sat down.

Penny leaned up into Gadget's ear. "Having fun?" she asked him quietly. Gadget nodded. "So am I and seeing you in those swim trunks and having you carrying me around like that makes me excited for what we might be doing tonight…."

Gadget looked down at the ground bashfully. "I liked having you up on my shoulders…" he whispered back.

Taylor glanced over at Penny and Gadget and gave a soft sigh. He then turned his attention on G2. He took a hand and brushed it against her cheek. "Hey, do you think…..Ummm…..Are you sure….there isn't….any chance you might….reconsider….what I suggested last night?"

G2 gave him a stern look. "No, Taylor. I am not going to go along with that game you came up with for in bed!" she spoke quietly. "Now, let's not discuss this here!"

Taylor laughed a moment before frowning again and shaking his head. "No, no. Not that! The other thing…..You know, about….." G2 frowned as he struggled for words, knowing what he was going to say. "About…..marrying me?"

G2 smiled at him sadly and pulled him in for a deep passionate kiss. When they broke apart she looked him in the eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but my answer is still no…."

Taylor nodded glumly, pulling her closer to him as though he were afraid he would lose her. He couldn't help but glance over at Gadget and Penny and see how happy they were. He knew he and G2 were just as happy together, but he knew it still wasn't the same for him. He knew it never would be because he wanted things he would never be able to have with G2.

"Hey! Uncle Taylor! Wanna play with us?" came the small voice of Grace.

Taylor glanced around G2 and saw the little beaming at him. There was no possible way to keep Taylor down and depressed for too long. "You bet, kiddo!" He gave G2 a quick kiss on the cheek before running off after Grace and jumping into the water, doing a canon ball and splashing everywhere.

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Author's Note: Typical day at the pool for these guys. I decided to add Lula into the mix for the fun of it. Review please.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Author's Note: This one-shot takes place after "Rise of the Lazarus" so there might be slight spoilers. You have been warned!

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"Fishing Trip"

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"Alright, fishies! You're all mine!" cried out Taylor Braydon triumphantly as he sat at on the boat in the middle of the lake and prepared to cast off his first line for the day.

Chief Quimby had given both Deputy Taylor Braydon and Inspector Gadget the day off, for reasons that probably involved Taylor's recent slip up at the County Fair, and since the girls still had to work, it gave them the perfect excuse to go fishing.

Gadget chuckled at Taylor's antics as he got his own finishing pole ready. He was wearing gray shorts and a white T-shirt instead of his usual trench coat, though his hat was still in place to keep the sun from getting in his eyes. Taylor was wearing something very similar.

"I honestly can't remember the last time I've gone fishing…" reminisced Gadget with a sigh, looking over the waters at the lake outside of Riverton. He mused about it for several minutes as he managed to get his worm on his hook. "I'll bet I haven't been finishing since….since before the explosion…"

Taylor glanced back at his friend, who was sitting on the other side of the decent sized motor boat. "Really? I took Delia fishing once…." He paused and thought about it for a minute. "She didn't like it very much…." His tone was light and carefree, though usually Delia was a topic that made him depressed.

"I can't imagine she did…" mumbled Gadget, having a tough time trying to imagine the late Delia Braydon out on a boat fishing.

The two of them sat there and worked with their fishing poles, getting it prepared for all the fishing they were planning on doing. They had gone out to the lake early in the morning, for the forecast had said there would be thunder storms later on in the day. Plus they wanted to beat the crowds, if any, and the sun's heat. Taylor had also wanted to get out to the lake early, insisting that they get to the fish before they had their breakfast and would be tempted to bite at their worms. Gadget had tried to explain that fish didn't really eat breakfast at a certain time like humans did, but the deputy wouldn't hear it.

Gadget was the first one to get his pole ready and once they were in a good spot, he cast it out. Gadget, of course, had been the one to drive the boat out into the lake, after much complaining on Taylor's part. Frankly, Gadget didn't trust Taylor behind the wheel of the boat.

Taylor finished getting his own pole ready and copied Gadget, making sure not to throw his line too close to Gadget's. With each man on a separate end of the boat, the morning started out quietly. Occasionally Taylor would comment about a tree or a large rock sticking out of the water like a kid might do, but the morning progressed smoothly.

It wasn't until they had been fishing for about forty-five minutes did it occur to Taylor just how quiet his friend had been the whole morning. The blonde haired deputy glanced over at Gadget, concern written all over his features. "Hey, Gadget" he called over.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you so quiet today? Is something bothering you?"

Gadget blinked at his question, reeling in his line and noting that his worm had gone unbitten once again. "Oh….uh…no. I'm fine.." he muttered unconvincingly.

Taylor frowned, not buying it. "Come on, you can tell me. Is it something between you and Penny?"

Gadget quickly shook his head. "No, nothing like that." He pressed down on the little motor control that allowed him to move the boat where he needed to without turning on the actual motor. He guided the boat away from the trees and logs they was slowly inching towards and moved them further downstream/. "I…uh….Did want to talk to you about something…."

"Oh?" Taylor pulled up his worm, only to see that it wasn't there. "Hey! They stole my worm!" he pouted, looking down into the water as though he was expecting to actually see the fish in the murky water. He sat up a bit from his chair, making the boat shift ever so slightly, before sitting back in his chair. He pouted for a moment. Gadget reached into the tackle box in the middle of the boat and grabbed another live worm for his friend. Taylor accepted it and started placing the wiggling critter onto the hook. "What did you want to talk about?"

Gadget took in a deep breath. This had been one of the main reasons he had wanted to go on this fishing trip to begin with. It had been three months since the near death experience Taylor had gone through and Gadget still couldn't ignore the pain he had felt when he had thought he had lost his closest friend. He knew that the only way he could settle his feelings over what had taken place was to simply talk to Taylor about it. He didn't wish to; but he knew it was the only thing that would help.

"Taylor….Remember….when you woke up in the hospital….after…the war..?" began Gadget slowly.

"You mean after Lula fixed me all up?" he replied in a question, getting the worm to stick to the hook. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, you had….almost died that day…." Continued Gadget, casting off his line, though having no intentions of reeling it back in. It wasn't the full truth, but he knew he couldn't let Taylor know what truly happened. Taylor wouldn't believe him; nor would he be able to understand it. Taylor was perfectly content believing Lula had just been able to 'fix him up'. "Well, I can't really get it out of my head….and it really bothers me that you almost died that day….and….it was then that…."

"Hey! Stop nibbling and actually take a bite so that I can CATCH you!" shouted Taylor in frustration. He reeled in his line in and cast it off again, annoyed that the fish were teasing him by simply nibbling instead biting at his worm. He glanced over at Gadget. "Oh, sorry….you were saying?"

Gadget nodded, trying to ignore the interruption. This was bad enough without Taylor ruining it with his childishness. He moved a bit in his seat, feeling himself get uncomfortable with nerves. "It's okay….What I was saying was that…..it was then that I realized…." He paused, looking up at Taylor to see the blonde intently watching his pole. He sighed and reeled in his own line and put his pole aside, getting up and moving closer to Taylor. "Taylor, I really need you to listen…"

Taylor turned to him with a look of surprise in his blue eyes, yet nodded. He set his pole in his lap without reeling it in and listened to his friend.

Gadget took in a deep breath before finally managing to say, "It was then…that I realized…You will always be more than just a friend to me…."

There was silence for a few minutes as Taylor processed that information. Gadget just sat there and waited for his reaction. A frog croaked loudly nearby as they slowly drifted down the side of the lake.

After what seemed like an eternity for Gadget, Taylor finally whispered, "Wow, Gadget….I—That's so nice…."

Gadget shrugged. "You don't have to take it any further than that—"

"I mean—Obviously we are a bit more than friends, right? I mean, I've noticed it too" continued Taylor, not letting Gadget finish.

Gadget gawked at him slightly. "You've noticed too?"

Taylor shrugged. "We've had our moments…" He glanced over to see the little frog sitting on a tree stump that was sticking out of the water. Gadget followed his gaze and they both watched as the frog stuck out its tongue and caught a fly. "I've never had a friend like you before, Gadget."

"Same for me…."

The two men sat there, both deep in their own thoughts. Death was a strange thing; when one gets too close to it, it has a way of making one see things they had never noticed before. The very thought of never again getting to go into work and hanging out with Deputy Taylor Braydon again really pulled at Gadget's heart strings far more than he would ever be able to understand. Over the past year he had just grown so close to the other man that he knew that he had to talk to him about all this; all that was going on in his mind; especially after what had happened.

"Gadget?"

"Hmm?"

"I was so excited when the Chief told me I got the job and that I would be working beside you every day…."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…."

The two of them continued to stare at each other, neither of them knowing what to say next. Just as Taylor was about to lean closer, he felt a jerk in his pole. His hands went straight to it; his full attention now on the pole. "Hey! I got a bite!" he cried out happily.

Gadget moved back a bit, a large grin on his face as he was thrilled his friend had caught a fish. He watched as Taylor started trying to pull him in, only a moment later though, he saw that his friend was having some difficulty. He frowned. "Do you need some help?"

Taylor shook his head, clearly struggling and breaking into a slight sweat with all the effort he was using to keep the fish on the line. It was miracle the line didn't snap since he was no longer able to reel it in. "It's a strong fish!" he gasped out. "I must've…..caught the biggest one in the lake!"

He pulled back, arching his back backwards, when suddenly the fish jerked forward, causing Taylor to shout out in fear as he was suddenly sent flying forwards; having no way to stop himself. Gadget cried out in alarm, jumping into action and just barely able to grab Taylor around the middle before Taylor flew off the edge of the boat.

The boat tipped dangerously by the sudden movements going on and both men's eyes were wide with fright as they struggled. "What the hell did you catch, Taylor!"

"I don't know!" squealed Taylor in alarm, his voice higher than usual. "A dinosaur, maybe!"

Gadget shook his head at the idea of a dinosaur, once again amazed by Taylor's imagination, but whatever was at the other end of the line gave them another jerk and Gadget found himself at the edge of the boat, his feet the only thing keeping them in the boat now that he was on the edge. Taylor was now inches above the water, his arms stretched out as he kept hold on the pole.

It was then that with a faint click, Gadget's robotic arms kicked in and started stretching out. "Taylor, just let go of the pole!" he shouted at his friend. His robotic arms continued to get longer and longer as the creature at the end of the pole continued to swim onward. Taylor's feet dangled slightly in the water since Gadget was holding him around his chest.

"I can't! I'll fall in!" he wailed.

"It's okay! It's just water! I'll pull you back in!"

"You don't know what's in there! Mutants from an unknown world are probably spawning in this place! How else do you explain this massive fi—" Taylor stopped in mid-sentence as the 'fish' sudden broke above the water's surface. "….fish…" Taylor and Gadget's eyes were wide as saucers as an alligator continued to pull on the line, the hook having caught itself deep in the skin around its mouth.

At the sight of the alligator, Gadget began to panic. "TAYLOR! LET GO OUT OF IT NOOOOOWWWW!"

"AND GET EATEN BY THE ALLIGATOR WHEN I FALL IN? NO THANK YOU!"

"TAYLOR, I CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!" screamed Gadget. Just as he said those words, the alligator gave one final tug before Gadget lost his footing and the two men went flying over the edge of the boat. The collapsed into the water with a large splash. They both gasped for air when they came to the surface, now both soaking wet. Gadget's hat had come off and was now floating in the water, but neither of them noticed this, nor had time to think, for the alligator was now aware that it was free to move about and started swimming rapidly, taking the two men along for the ride.

They both screamed, Taylor holding onto the pole while Gadget held onto Taylor's midsection. Gadget's robotic arms retracted back to normal as they were sent for a ride, the alligator taking them along with it.

"Gadget!"

"WHAT?"

"I can't let go!"

"WHAT?"

"I CAN'T LET GO!"

"WHY NOT?"

"MY SHIRT IS CAUGHT ON THE POLE!"

Taylor spoke the truth; at some point during the struggle, his shirt had gotten caught onto the pole where the lever pulled in the line. Water splashed all around them, which was the reason for their yelling. It was hard for them to hear each other over the splashing. The alligator seemed agitated that they were connected to him and tried its best to fling them away and get the hook out of its mouth. It flung its large tail back and forth and thrashed around in the water angrily, leaving the two men to be forced to tag along. The alligator tried going further underwater, but found it couldn't with them clinging onto it.

Taylor tried pulling his shirt out of the pole, but with all the water and how fast they were going, it was not an easy task.

"Go Go Gadget skis!" cried out Gadget. Roller blades suddenly came out from Gadget's shoes. "Not roller blades! SKIS" The roller blades disapeared and Gadget tried again. "GO GO GADGET, SKIS!"

Ice skates were the next to come out of his shoes. Gadget cried out in fury. "You want gadgets, Taylor?" he shouted angrily to his friend. "THIS is what happens when you have gadgets! GLITCHES!" Taylor looked back at his friend the best way he could, his hair slightly in his face from the water and breeze. They both winced for so much water had now gotten in their eyes. "GO GO GADGET SKIS!"

Skis suddenly popped out from Gadget's shoes and the skis allowed them to now be on top of the water. Gadget held tightly to Taylor and the deputy placed his feet on the skis as well so that he could focus more on getting free.

As the alligator continued to take them for a ride all over the lake, Taylor grunted and pulled harder and harder at his shirt to get it away from the pole. Just as Taylor thought he was starting to tear the shirt and be free, Gadget happened to glance up and note the direction the alligator had turned.

"Ugh, Taylor?" he called to his friend. Taylor didn't listen, just continued to pull. "Taylor?" Still, the blonde was too busy trying to get free. "TAYLOR! Don't get free yet!"

"Why not?" asked Taylor as he gave a final tug. His shirt tore and he was able to finally let go of the pole, the alligator making a sharp left turn and swimming away. With the momentum they were now going; especially on skis, Taylor and Gadget continued to go straight.

Taylor noticed a moment too late why Gadget hadn't wanted him to let go just yet.

They both screamed as they crashed hard into a buoy, which stated the speed limit motor boats were allowed to go in the area. With a sickening thud, they crashed hard into the buoy, both groaning as they sank into the water and Gadget's skis disappeared back into his shoes.

"Ugh….That's why…." Groaned Gadget before they sank into the water, entirely wiped out of the crash and the experience. Adrenaline and nerves shot; they now felt exhausted.

Both men kept their faces above the water and stayed there for a moment, moving their bodies to keep themselves up. "See, it WAS a dinosaur….And now we're swimming in dinosaur spawn…"

Gadget shook his head, tired from the experience. "That wasn't a dinosaur…..It was an alligator…"

Taylor groaned, frustrated. "Close enough….What kind of lake is this: having alligators in it?"

Gadget ignored that last comment, not knowing the answer himself. "Well, I know one thing….this isn't dinosaur spawn we're swimming in…"

"It isn't?"

"No…" he paused. "If anything….it's fish spawn…"

"Ewww…."

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Author's Note: Oh, dear! I had so much fun writing that last bit! It had a serious start, but a hilarious ending. This idea came from the recent fishing trip I took with my dad. It does take place after Lazarus, unlike the other one-shots. Dinosaur spawn lol


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Author's Note: This one-shot takes place after "Man and Machine".

Rated: T

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"The Best Man"

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"What a game!" hooted Deputy Taylor Braydon has he and his best friend, Inspector Gadget, walked out of the baseball stadium. The blonde man looked down at the baseball mitt that was still on his hand and marveled at the baseball that was currently resting in it. "The way you caught that ball was pretty great too!" He looked over to his friend. "Thanks for letting me have this, by the way!" He took a sip from the cup of cola that was in his other hand; the straw making noises since there was very little left in it.

Gadget glanced over at his excited friend and with a smile. "No problem. I know its technically cheating for me to catch the ball like that with my Gadget Arm, but I guess I got a little excited when it came our way…" He admitted honestly.

Taylor didn't seem bothered by how Gadget had caught the ball; he was still too ecstatic that Gadget had given the ball to him to begin with. "Eh, don't worry so much! The guys behind us were drunk anyways!"

Gadget thought about that for a moment. "Taylor….there wasn't even anyone behind us…."

Taylor frowned, his face contorting with concentration. "There wasn't?"

"No."

"…..Maybe I'M a little drunk…."

Gadget gave him a look of suspicion before snatching the drink that was in Taylor's other hand. He opened up the plastic lid and sniffed the ice and what little cola was left inside of it. He didn't smell any alcohol in it. He shot a look to Taylor before taking a small sip out of the cup. He spat it out a moment later and made a face. "Yuck! Taylor, you've been drinking out of this thing this whole time?"

Taylor cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, why?"

"It's flat!"

"Huh…..I thought it tasted funny. I just figured I accidently got diet cola or something…"

Gadget threw away the cup as they walked by a waste can and the two of them continued to walk out of the parking lot. He would have been surprised if there was alcohol in the cup. Taylor was far from the kind of guy to drink or smoke and so was he, yet when it came to baseball games and the somewhat dodgy vendors there, there was no telling what could happen.

The two friends continued to walk, neither of them saying anything until Taylor finally broke the silence. "I asked G2 if she would marry me again…" His tone was soft and slightly forlorn as he took off the mitt and placed into under his arm. He played around the ball his friend had caught for him.

Gadget carefully spoke, knowing this was a touchy subject for his friend. "That's what…the fifth time you've asked her now?"

Taylor shook his head. "The sixth time….I even gave her a rose this time; because I know how much she likes them. I just bought one….cause…." he trailed off.

"Because you were afraid she would say no and you didn't want to waste a whole bouquet" finished Gadget, knowing his friend well. The two of them walked closer to where the Gadget Mobile was parked.

Taylor nodded slowly as he walked over to the passenger's side. "Yeah…"

Gadget Mobile came to life as soon as Gadget touched the driver's door. His car light eyes opened and immediately he wanted to know what had happened. "So, how was the game, G Man? I was only able to hear so much from clear out here! Next time I think I might try listening in on the radio or something to keep track of the score!" Both men got into the car, neither of them saying anything, much to Gadget Mobiles annoyance. "Well, isn't somebody gonna answer me? How was the game?"

"Not now Gadget Mobile…" hushed Gadget softly, glancing over at Taylor. Yet he didn't see the sad depressed look on Taylor's face that he suspected. Instead he found his friend sitting there with a large grin on his face as he fiddled with the baseball. It really didn't take a whole lot to entertain Taylor and it was nearly impossible to keep him upset for very long.

Before he turned on the ignition, Gadget pushed himself back against the purple driver's seat. There had been a reason why he had treated Taylor to a baseball game and caught the baseball and given to him as a gift. He had planned on talking to Taylor about something that was important to him. Something that would be a big part of his life and would always be remembered. He smiled as he thought about the small ring that was currently on his fiancé's finger right at that moment. He then thought about the romantic evening he had spent less than week ago with the love of his life; Penny, after she had agreed to marry him.

This was not the best time Gadget had planned on, especially after Taylor had just informed him of his sixth failed attempt to propose to G2, but it was something he needed to do. He just hoped Taylor wouldn't find this to be too bad a time.

"G Man?" inquired Gadget Mobile. "Why you so quiet? And why does HE have a baseball?"

"Gadget caught it!" beamed Taylor to the car.

"Caught it? You mean-That's an actual baseball? One they played with in the game! HEY! I want one of those!" whined Gadget Mobile.

Taylor looked at the car's face screen incredulously. "You're a car! What do you want with a baseball?"

"Oh, here it is! That whole, 'you're just a car' routine! Ya know something; we 'cars' have feelin's too , ya know?"

"Taylor?" interrupted Gadget, speaking loudly so that his voice cut through their arguing.

"Hang on a second, G Man! I'm gonna talk some sense into this, 'deputy'!"

"Hey!" cried out Taylor, feeling insulted by Gadget Mobile's tone. "Maybe you're the one who needs some sense knocked in!"

"Least I'm not the one who went to work with his outfit on backwards!" spat the car.

"Ugh, that was ONE time!" growled Taylor in annoyance, pointing a finger at the car. "And it wasn't my fault!" he paused a moment, his face going slightly pink as he smiled mischievously. "G2 made me late….We ended up on the bathroom floor-She was hungry for my man metal and couldn't resist me…So sue me if I was a little dazed after THAT!"

Gadget groaned in his seat, disliking the fact that Taylor would often go into detail about his sex life; especially with his ex-wife. He knew Taylor didn't mean to do it, but that didn't mean it didn't bother him sometimes. It didn't matter if he was happily in love with Penny now or not.

"Oh, whatever! Excuses! Excuses! I'm sure that's happened to guys all the time! I'm sure it's even happened to Gadget and you don't see HIM walkin' in to work with his clothes on backwards after getting' some!"

Gadget put his face in his hands, his face red, as he wondered how he had possibly gotten pulled into the embarrassing conversation.

"Well, how do you expect to even HOLD a baseball? You can't even play with it!" argued Taylor, bringing the argument back to the original topic.

"Oh, I'll show you what I can do—"But Gadget Mobile was never able to finish.

Gadget gave a frustrated sigh before finally shouting, "SHUT UP!" Both Taylor and Gadget Mobile went silent at his uncharacteristic outburst. The inspector had brought his face out his hands and he was now glaring at them, though his glare quickly turned to a look of guilt. "I'm sorry, guys…but…please….stop arguing…and PLEASE, let me just say what I want to say! And Gadget Mobile?"

"Yeah, G Man?" asked the car timidly. He was not used to seeing his friend behave that way.

"I don't want to hear a PEEP from you! I have something important to ask Taylor and I DON'T want you interrupting!" he told his friend strictly.

"But, G Man-!" wailed the Gadget Mobile. Gadget gave him a stern look, which shut the car up with a grumble.

Taylor just fiddled with the ball nervously, unsure of what was going on. Gadget turned to him so that he was facing him better in the car seat. "Okay, Taylor…I told you how…I asked Penny to be marry me, right?"

Taylor nodded. "Yeah and I told you I was happy for you guys…"

Gadget nodded. "Yes, well…." He grabbed Taylor's hand without really thinking about it. "I want you to be my Best Man…"

Gadget Mobile made a noise as though he wanted to say something, but kept quiet. Taylor stared at his best friend with bright blue eyes. "What?"

"I want you to be my Best Man! I want you to be there beside me as I marrying the love of my life! I want you to be my ring bearer. The one who hands me the ring who I'll be giving to my future bride!" explained Gadget rather quickly, a large grin on his face and a sparkle in his brown eyes as he thought about it. He continued, "That's why I brought you to the game today and caught the ball for you! My treat! It was my way of treating you before I asked you!"

Taylor sat there and thought about what Gadget had said, staring out before him. He let go of Gadget's hand and fiddled with the baseball for a few minutes. When he finally spoke again, his words were not exactly what Gadget had been expecting, "Does this mean I get to plan your Bachelor Party?"

Gadget's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of what to say, "Uhh….well…uh—"

Taylor wasn't listening to him though, for his blue eyes were sparkling with excitement as he started rambling off about all the details for the party. "Oh, this is great! I remember MY Bachelor Party when I married Delia—Though I wouldn't hire THAT stripper—she was expensive and I really didn't like the lap dance she gave me—"

Gadget felt his stomach drop dangerously. "S-Stripper? Ugh….Taylor?"

"Don't worry, Gadget! I'll handle everything! It'll be great! I won't let you down!" Taylor started tossing the ball up and down in the air, catching it every time. It seemed Gadget's worries about upsetting Taylor about his own wedding since G2 kept refusing Taylor wasn't an issue at all.

Gadget tuned Taylor out as he continued to ramble on about his Bachelor Party and the sexual encounters he'd dealt with there and turned to where Gadget Mobile's little animated self was sitting there staring at him. "You're gonna say things now, aren't you?" he accused the car, Taylor's chattering in the background.

"Nope. But I WILL say this: You should have had Chief Quimby be your Best Man…" suggested the car.

Gadget shook his head, looking up to see Taylor still rambling away and tossing the ball up in the air. "No…..Taylor will be the perfect Best Man…." He whispered.

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Author's Notes: So, this is how I pictured Gadget asking Taylor to be his Best Man to be. Gadget treated Taylor to a baseball game before doing so. Isn't he a good friend? Lol


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Author's Note: This one-shot takes place after "Man and Machine".

Rated: M (to be safe)

Warnings: implied slash. Sexual comments and mentioning.

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"Back Pains"

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"What do you mean Gadget isn't going?"

G2, once the crime fighting partner of Inspector Gadget, looked up at her boyfriend, Deputy Taylor Braydon and shrugged. "He's tired, Taylor. He just got off from working the morning shift. He's going to stay here while we go out and have some fun with the kids."

The five of them were currently at Taylor's mansion, having all decided to meet there before going out to take the kids to the zoo. Gadget had just gotten off work and at the last minute, decided he wasn't fit enough to go. He was tired after a long morning of working with Chief Quimby to organize some old case studies.

The dark haired cyborg leaned down to help a patient Grace zip up her jacket. The little girl turned to Taylor. "We're going to have fun, Uncle Taylor! We're going to see the animals at the zoo! You like the giraffes, don't you?"

The blonde haired man looked down at little Grace with a slight frown. He tried not to show his disappointment that Gadget wouldn't be going. "Yeah…..Yeah, I like the giraffes. I like the elephants too…" It was then that Penny walked into the room, a look of worry on her face as she glanced back up the stairs she had just walked down. This didn't go unnoticed by Taylor. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

Penny, who seemed to have been deep in her own thoughts, jerked her head up to look at Taylor; her blue eyes slightly wide. "Nothing! Gadget just went to lie down in the guest bedroom. I hope that's okay?" She glanced between Taylor and G2.

"That's fine! My place is his place. You guys are always welcome here. I have plenty of room to spare" Taylor assured her. He glanced up the stairs, wondering how his friend was coping. "So, he's just lying down?"

Penny nodded, but once again, a look of worry was on her face. This time, G2 picked up on it as well, yet before she could say anything, Grace beat her to it. "Daddy isn't coming?" she questioned, looking up at G2. The little girl wore a pout on her face at the thought of her daddy not coming along with them.

G2 looked down at the little girl and shook her head. "No, he's not. Now come on, Maxie and Alice are waiting out in the car!" G2 started ushering her out the door and towards the parked car they would be taking.

As the four of them walked out the door, Taylor was the last one to leave. He stopped just as he walked through the threshold of the doorway, his hand still on the doorknob. He paused, thinking of how his friend wouldn't be coming along. That had been the main reason he had been anticipating the trip to the zoo with the kids. It was not that he didn't love the kids, or Penny, or that he wanted to be with his girlfriend, but everything always seemed to be more fun when Gadget was around. Not only that, but Taylor couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right. Perhaps it was the worried look that Penny had had on her face or perhaps it was something else; but whatever it was, he didn't like it.

"Hey" he called out to them as they reached the car. "I think I'm gonna stay here!"

Grace, who had been in her seat already, was the first to react. "No, Uncle Taylor! We're supposed to see the giraffes together and make funny faces at the monkeys like we always do!"

Taylor smiled fondly at her, recalling the good times he's shared with her.

"Come on, he doesn't want to go! Let's move it!" called over Maxie from the other side of Grace. The adults all seemed to be thinking the same thing and all wished that Maxie would just learn to be closer to Taylor and G2.

Penny reprimanded him. "Maxie! Manners!"

"It's alright!" called Taylor. "I'll just stay here and make sure Gadget is okay!" He looked over to a pouting Grace. "Don't worry Gracie!" he smiled at her, calling her by the nickname he gave her. "We'll make faces at the monkeys together next time! In the meantime, I'm expecting a FULL report on the faces you make at them AND how many ice cream cones are stolen by the monkeys! Got it?"

Grace pouted for another moment before smiling largely and grinning. "Okay!"

G2 then walked over to Taylor and hugged him close, giving him a long passionate kiss as she ran her long fingers through his blonde hair. When they broke apart, Taylor grinned goofily. "You know, you could stay behind too…."

G2 shook her head, tapping Taylor's nose playfully. "Sorry. Can't. I have to be with the kids. Penny can't take them all by herself, especially with the baby."

Taylor gave a sigh as he watched G2 walk back to the car and got inside. He waited at the door until he couldn't see them anymore before turning around and heading inside. He shut the door behind him and locked it.

A few moments later, he found himself at the door to the bedroom Gadget was currently staying in. He quietly opened the door and peered inside. He could see Gadget lying on his side, his back facing the door. He was underneath the covers and from what Taylor could see, his trench coat, white dress shirt, and hat had been left on a chair near the bed and the inspector was just wearing his white under shirt and pants. His shoes and socks wear found at the foot of the bed.

Taylor couldn't fathom why, but he felt the sudden urge to lie down beside his friend and comfort him. He knew Gadget was only sleeping, but something told him there was more to it.

Taylor opened and closed his mouth several times before finally, "Gadget?"

He hadn't spoken very loudly, yet Gadget still heard him. Gadget flinched slightly from where he was on the bed, clearly not having expected someone to still be in the mansion. Gadget groaned softly, turning around slowly to see Taylor. He grunted and winced a second later because of the sudden turn though. He turned back around. "Taylor? What are you still doing here? I thought you guys were going to the zoo."

"Well….I decided to stay behind…"

Gadget tried to turn around and look at Taylor again, but he groaned once again before quickly turning away. "Oh!" he said as though he was in pain. He continued a moment later. "I'm surprised you were willing to miss the chance to make faces at the monkeys….you and Grace love doing that…."

Taylor grinned. "Eh, it's….actually more for me than for Grace….I think she just goes along with it so that she doesn't feel left out…"

Gadget sighed as he nodded his head, now fully facing the other direction. "Maybe…. Well, I'll be out of your way. I'll just be up here taking a nap if that's—" He stopped as he grunted in pain before finishing. "—o-okay..."

Taylor stared at his friend, a look of concern written all over his face. "Are you okay?"

Gadget considered lying to his friend, but decided there was no use. He knew Taylor would pester him until he got the truth out of him. "Ugh….No….Not really. I'm in a lot of back pain…"

"Back pain?" echoed Taylor in curiosity. He took off the red jacket he had been wearing, leaving him nothing. He kicked off his shoes next.

"Yeah…..Remember how….back when I first met you….I was still recovering from the explosion I was in?"

Taylor immediately tensed as he sat down on the queen sized bed that Gadget was lying on. "You mean…..the explosion my ex-wife caused….?"

Gadget sighed, knowing this was a touchy subject for the both of them. "Yeah, that one….Well, Lula had to cut my spinal cord in order to save me….It prevented me from having to go through all the pain that I would have felt had she NOT done that. Well, she eventually had to weld my spine back together and ever since….I've gotten occasional back pains because of nerve damage…"

"And you're in pain now?" guessed Taylor.

Gadget nodded, pushing the side of his face deeper into the plush pillow. "Yeah…."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really….I mean….Penny often rubs my back when she's here. I would have had her do it now, but I knew we were meant to take the kids to the zoo and I didn't want to spoil or postpone that. The kids were really excited to go. I didn't want to….ruin everyone's plans…"

"I didn't know…." Whispered Taylor.

Gadget's brows furrowed in confusion. He managed to turn around and look at Taylor without too much pain. "What do you mean?" The inspector looked over at the man sitting on the bed and was surprised to see a look of pure sadness on his face. Gadget had never seen Taylor look so sad before. "Taylor?"

"I mean….I didn't know you were still in pain because of…..of what she did…." Replied Taylor forlornly. The blonde picked at the white sheets of the bed. "I just figured…Lula had fixed you and that everything was okay now….I didn't realize that even now you still are in pain from it."

Gadget thought about what he wanted to say before he reached over and grabbed Taylor's hand, "Taylor, its okay. I didn't exactly broadcast my back pains to the world. It's really just Penny and Lula who know. Don't worry about it." Gadget went to turn back around but Taylor moved around on the bed so that he was now completely on it. He moved so that he was practically sitting on top of Gadget's legs. "Taylor!"

"I wanna help!" he insisted.

Gadget sighed once more. "Taylor, there's nothing you can do….Now just—Go downstairs….watch TV or something….I'm gonna try to get some sleep…" Taylor didn't pay any attention though and he pushed himself closer to Gadget, much to the inspector's embarrassment. "Taylor! What are you-?"

Gadget didn't get a chance to explain as the sheets were suddenly ripped away from Gadget and the inspector found himself trying to get them back; though the shots of pain in his back kept him from moving so much. With a huff of resignation, Gadget just laid there and waited to see what his exuberant friend was up to. "Just lay on your stomach" advised Taylor.

"What are you-?"

"Just lay on your stomach!"

Gadget grudgingly did as he was told, having a hunch as to what was going to happen next. "Taylor, you don't have to—"he squeaked slightly as cold hands suddenly reached up his under shirt and started massaging his lower back. He felt his cybernetic skin shiver at the touch; though Gadget wasn't entirely sure if that was strictly because of the coldness of his hands.

Taylor moved himself so that he was sitting on top of Gadget's legs, each of his legs on a side of him. Taylor's hands touched Gadget's skin and he could feel a shiver himself. Slowly, Taylor kneaded his hands back and forth over the lower back area; having moved Gadget's undershirt up. "How does that feel?"

Gadget considered Taylor's massaging for a moment before saying, "Feels really good. Wow, you're good at this, Taylor. Maybe you were a masseuse in another life…"

Taylor laughed at that. "Nahh, I'm not THAT good."

"I'll be the judge of that….Move your hands just a little bit lower…."

Taylor did as he was told and his fingers felt a small knot under the skin. He rubbed over it several times before Gadget finally understood what Taylor had found. "What is that? Feels like a knot in your muscles or something…."

"It's where Lula cut my spine."

Taylor's hands flinched away from Gadget's skin. "Oh…"

"It's okay, you're not hurting me. It feels good actually. You're loosening up the tendons and nerve endings. It's just….sometimes I get locked up…It's because of the nerve damage that I'm unable to perform and move as well…" Gadget had said that last part a bit more softly, unsure if he was prepared to talk about it or not.

"Perform? You mean….sexually?"

"Yeah…" Gadget could feel his face go hot and he inwardly kicked himself for even bringing it up; he knew Taylor would want to talk about it some more. Yet Penny had once told him that it was best to let some people know about his pains. It wasn't good to bottle everything up and he knew Taylor was a dear friend and wouldn't hold it against him or laugh at him for it.

"Wait…" Taylor paused in his massaging as he started putting the pieces together. "You mean….You can't have sex?" Before Gadget could answer, Taylor's eyes widened and he continued on. "Seriously? You can't have sex? You have ALL this man metal and you can't even- WOW! Talk about UNFAIR!"

Gadget groaned into his pillow; he knew this was how Taylor was going to react. He turned his head so Taylor could hear him better. "No, Taylor! I CAN…" he trailed off, unable to openly talk about the subject like his friend could. "I-I can get aroused…"

"Phew!" chuckled Taylor. "I mean, life without sex….I don't want to think about it…"

Gadget couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. He always found Taylor's obsession with cybernetics and sex amusing, if not awkward. "Yeah….it's just….because of the explosion and how Lula had to cut my spine…." His voice grew soft as the subject changed to something more painful. "I can make love…..but I need patience…Because of the nerve damage…..It takes time for me to become aroused and fully….you know…" Gadget hid his face in the pillow. This was not a topic he was comfortable talking about.

Silence filled the room. Taylor had stopped massaging his back as he took this new information in. "Oh…"

Gadget took in a deep breath. "But don't worry about it; really! Penny understands and everything is fine!"

Taylor didn't say anything for several long minutes and the two of them just sat there on the bed like that; Gadget lying on his stomach with Taylor sitting on his legs. The pains in his back had gone away thanks to Taylor's massage, but he wanted to wait until Taylor said something before telling him that. He wasn't sure how to make of Taylor's silence.

Taylor's shoulders began to tremble and Gadget could hear the faint sounds of sobbing. "Taylor?"

"Gadget-I'm so sorry!" wept Taylor, rubbing his eyes to get rid of the tears that were now blurring his vision.

"Taylor—" Gadget tried moving around to look at him, but Taylor had him pinned since he was sitting on his legs. "Get off" he told him gently. Taylor pushed himself off Gadget's legs as he continued to cry softly. Gadget was careful not to hurt his back again as he sat up properly on the bed. He rested a hand on Taylor's arm and leaned in slightly. "Taylor, shhh…Relax! What you are crying for? You didn't do anything!"

"Exactly!" snapped Taylor, almost glaring at Gadget through his tears. "She was my wife, Gadget! My WIFE! My WIFE was the Riverton Bomber and I didn't even know! I could have done something about it—I could have stopped her!" Taylor paused and he seemed to get even more hysterical. "She was right under my nose the whole time! If only I had paid more attention to what she was doing behind my back! I could have prevented it all!" More tears seemed to come and Gadget knew he had to act. He pulled Taylor close and allowed him to cry into his shoulder.

"Taylor….Shh….Listen—" He consoled in the best way he could. He patted Taylor on the back. "You can't do that. You can't put the blame on yourself. You had NO way of knowing what she was up to. At the time, you were still busy running for Mayor!"

Taylor snorted into his shoulder. "Delia took care of all that. All I did was dress up and say what she told me to…."

Gadget shrugged, feeling Taylor's tears on his skin since he was just wearing a sleeveless undershirt. "Taylor….you're not to blame. She got herself into that mess. There was no way for you to know what she was doing, because I don't even think SHE knew what she was doing…."

"I knew something was strange when I found her in the garage—" Taylor started saying.

"Yeah, I'm sure you did. And had that not been a bomb she handed you….perhaps you would have figured things out…." He pointed out.

Taylor sniffed for a moment before raising his head to look at Gadget in the eye. "Yeah, maybe you're right…."

Gadget nodded. "You didn't exactly get the chance to figure things out…..Because you ended up in an explosion yourself…."

Taylor nodded. "We both have survived explosions then, I guess…."

Gadget grimaced at that. "I guess…"

A small smile began to form on the blonde's handsome face. "We're unstoppable!"

"I wouldn't say that…."

Taylor wiped away more of his tears. "I had always wanted to meet you, Gadget."

"Hmm?"

"Ever since I first read about you when Delia and I first moved into East Riverton" he explained. He moved around so he was behind Gadget and pulled up the inspector's undershirt, rubbing his lower back before Gadget could say anything. "How does that feel?"

"Wonderful!" grinned Gadget, truly enjoying the feeling. "But you already took away the pain. You don't have to do that anymore."

Taylor continued talking as though Gadget hadn't said anything. "I read about you and how you were the first cyborg prototype. I had always liked cybernetics before, but then I heard about you I wanted to meet you! Riverton's greatest crime fighter!"

Gadget grinned bashfully. "I'm not really all that great—"

"Yeah, you are" argued Taylor. He sniffed as he still recovered from his crying. He leaned over Gadget's shoulder so they could look at each other, the blonde's hands on his shoulders. "You're the greatest friend I've ever had…"

A calm, peaceful silence filled the room as Taylor sat back down and continued to give Gadget a massage. After a good ten minutes of silence though, expect the occasional comment on Taylor's massaging skills, Taylor finally broke the silence. "So, it just takes a while for the arousal to kick in?"

Gadget groaned and put his face in his hands. "Would you just let it go?"

"No!" Taylor moved so that he was sitting next to Gadget, acting like a little kid who wanted to learn more about something. "So, what? You have to sing to it or something?"

Gadget's face went hot. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, you said it takes longer- Or do you just have to rub it harder and longer?"

"I'm not telling you-This discussion is over!" ordered Gadget, trying to move away from Taylor.

"So, Penny's real good at working your man metal, eh? She knows how to get you started, doesn't she?" he grinned impishly at the thought. He was completely ignoring Gadget's pleas to stop. Taylor then went silent and looked at Gadget seriously. Gadget waited on baited breath to see what more Taylor had on his mind. "Think I could give it a try sometime? I'm real good with my hands—You know that though, after THAT massage!" Gadget's eyes widened like saucers. He opened and closed his mouth several times, not entirely sure he had even heard Taylor correctly. Taylor just kept right on going though; acting as though he was talking about the most normal thing in the world. "We could try it right now, I guess. I mean, we have time. The girls won't be back with the kids for hours—" Taylor checked his watch as though he was being dead serious.

"Taylor! You're nuts!" exclaimed Gadget, quickly getting up.

Taylor's hand caught his wrist and pulled him back down onto the bed. Taylor's laughter filled the room. "I was only messing with you Gadget! You actually believed me!" he roared with laughter while Gadget sat there dumbfounded; trying to catch up on what was happening. Taylor's laughter died down and he looked over at his best friend. "I was joking, Gadget…But seriously, if you ever need a massage, just let me know. I'll gladly help…." He spoke in a more serious tone. "You're right. It may not be my fault…but…I still feel a bit guilty, you know?"

Gadget nodded. He knew what it felt like to feel that kind of guilt. He felt the same way about the night of the explosion at the Mayor's house. Had he just been a little more attentive….. Had he just noticed the bomb sooner; he may have been able to save those lives that had been lost.

Guilt was a funny thing and it seemed to haunt both Taylor and himself.

"I understand…..Thank you, Taylor….for helping me…"

Taylor gave Gadget a side hug. "Anytime…"

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Author's Note: This was fun to write. It was a bit more serious and a little longer than my other pone-shots, but nothing wrong with that, right? I added a bit of sexual humor into the mix, just because I can see Taylor being like that. Hope you liked it. Review.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Author's Note: This one-shot takes place after "Man and Machine".

"I keep all the keys to his properties. He needs me to; he's always forgetting things, losing things..."—Delia Braydon from "Man or Machine" (This one-shot is loosely based on that line).

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"House Key"

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"Thanks for the ride, Gadget!" called out Deputy Taylor Braydon as he waved to Gadget, who drove away in the Gadget Mobile. He watched as Gadget waved back before turning around to face his mansion.

He walked up the front sidewalk, humming an off tune, and started rummaging in his pants pocket. After walking the length of the sidewalk and still having yet to find his keys, he paused with a frown; his humming stopped.

"Hmm…" he mumbled before digging his hand into his other pants pocket. Nothing. He started digging through the pockets of his brown jacket. Nothing. He checked his back pants pockets. Nothing.

He looked up to see that he had stopped just before his front door. He turned the doorknob; just to make sure G2 wasn't home and decided to keep it open for him; it was locked. It was then that he noticed a little note that was taped to the door. He snatched it off the door and read it, recognizing his girlfriend's fancy and neat handwriting.

'Taylor,

I took Alice over to visit with Gadget when he got home from work. You should have your key to get in. I left a microwave dinner on the counter in case you're hungry. I'll be home later tonight after I run some errands.

Love, G2

Realization slowly dawned on the blonde deputy. He had no key and he was locked out.

"Awww, maaaaaan…." He whined. He was prone to forgetting his house key and leaving it at the house in the mornings when he went off to work. Though usually he was lucky enough to catch G2 when she was home; this time she couldn't let him in.

He looked back and forth, glancing over at the large garage doors and seeing that they were all closed. He sprinted over to the garage doors, immediately making a plan for this first attempt to get inside the house.

"Alright!" he cheered himself on as he stepped before the garage's keypad where the password to open the doors was typed in. He smiled happily, his fingers itching to press the right buttons. After about thirty seconds of staring at the keypad, his mind drew a blank. His fingers twitched in anticipation over the keypad as he wracked his brain trying to remember the password.

"What is it?" he moaned to himself, placing his head in his hands.

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3 Minutes Later

Taylor was crouched up against one of the white garage doors, curled up in a ball as he rocked back and forth slightly, panting heavily as he sat there and wracked his brain trying to think of what the password could possibly be.

He mumbled incoherently to himself, muttering every little thought that came to mind.

"Peppers? No. Delia's birthday? No….Don't know that anyways…Our anniversary? Definitely don't know that…..My Birthday? Hmm….I wanna say it's the 5th….Cell number…? I don't have one…STREET NUMBER! No….not enough digits…" He opened his eyes and glanced down at the white cement below him. There was a black scorch mark there from when his garage had exploded during the Bomber's second bomb. "….Where'd THAT come from?" He took a finger and rubbed at it as though it was going to come off. "Huh…..Anyways, Taylor…THINK!"

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5 Minutes Later

Taylor stood in his driveway dancing and tapping his feet on the cement as he listened to one of his favorite songs on the built in radio he had in his ear. He danced and moved to the beat, all in his own little world; having briefly forgotten that he was locked outside the house after turning on his radio for a few minutes.

The gardener who was working on the neighbor's yard about fifty feet away was an elderly man and he stared at Taylor, dumbfounded as he watched the full grown man dance around in his driveway like a little kid.

Taylor went into a stance as though he was playing some heavy guitar music when he opened his eyes and glanced up. He saw the old man and waved with a large smile before going back to his hard rock dancing.

The old gardener just shook his head and went about his way.

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20 Minutes Later

Taylor stood in the middle of one of the flower beds that wrapped around the house and stared intently at the glass window before him, glaring at his reflection in determination. He placed his hands on his hips. After listening to some music for a while, he had decided to go into the house for something to eat.

Only to remember he was still locked out of the house.

"Alright! I MAY not have been able to remember the garage door password, but I AM going to get inside this mansion!" He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he was talking out loud and to himself.

He walked closer to the window, yet not before flashing his reflection a large grin and taking a moment to admire his hair and cybernetic skin. Once he was done ogling at himself in the window, he tried opening it with a grunt.

"Come on!" he complained, holding the bottom of the white rimmed window and trying to pull it upwards. His feet dug into the soil, covering his shoes in dirt as he tried to get more force into it. "Come on you….stupid….window!"

Sweat began to drip down his temples as his hair got messed up from the effort.

"Come on…..Just a little bit more pressure!" He pulled up even harder, the whites of his knuckles going white. Suddenly, he lost his grip and his hands went flying upwards and he stumbled in the loose soil, making him slide down until he was on the ground. His pant leg was now covered in soil. "Ouch!" he whined, pushing up his sleeve and seeing that he had hit his wrist.

His eyes widened and he gave a small gasp of horror. "That bruised my man metal!"

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5 Minutes Later

He stood on the other side of the house now, his pants half covered in soil stains and his hair out of place in a few spots. He looked up at the window that was the only one open. It was on the third floor of the mansion. It was his room that he now shared with G2. He recalled G2 wanting to keep the window open for some fresh air.

"Okay, just climb up the side of house, with the aide of the side paneling, climb through the window and I'm in! I can do that!" he convinced himself. He looked at his arms, raising them up and flexing them. He couldn't see his biceps through his shirt and jacket but he knew they were there. "Alright, guys….Don't let me down!" He walked through another flower bed, being sure not to step on any of the flowers. "Don't want to kill the innocent flowers that G2 has been planting all spring and summer…."

He reached the side of the house and touched the white paneling. He looked up and saw the open window. "You can do this…." He told himself. He glanced down and saw he was near another window. "Ahh!" he grinned, deciding to use the window sill that jutted out slightly to help him get started. He raised his leg high up and secured his foot on it before hoisting himself up. He grunted as he placed his other foot on the window sill before he started climbing up the side of the house with what little there was to work with. He managed to make it halfway between the first and second floor before he began to panic since he no longer knew where to go from there.

The paneling was not jutting out as much as it did below and the further he went up, the harder it was for him to climb. He tried reaching for the second story window, but found that it was too far for him to reach. He whimpered as he clung to the side of his mansion. "Ugh…..Maybe I can't do this after all…."

With adrenaline making his heart beat faster than normal, Taylor started making his way back down, yet his foot slipped and before he knew it, he was falling through the air.

"Ahhhhhhh!" he screamed as he fell, his arms flailing for something to grab hold onto. He landed on the soil covered ground with a heavy thump; the wind being knocked out of him slightly. He had landed on his back and in G2's flowers, crushing them completely.

"….Ouch…."

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10 Minutes Later

Taylor pushed the shovel down deeper into the ground before pulling up the grass and dirt and tossing it to the side. He was once again in the front of the mansion.

"Don't know why I didn't think of this sooner! I'll DIG my way into the house! It's brilliant! I'll dig a tunnel into the house!" as he spoke to himself, his voice seemed a little off and his eyes seemed a little more wild than usual. His hair was now a complete mess and he was completely covered in soil, head to toe. He laughed at what he thought was a clever idea. "I'll just dig deeper and deeper. G2 shouldn't mind too much that I'm doing it in the front yard….AND in her flower bed…Especially when she learns I had no other option….She'll just be so happy to see me and my man metal that she won't even care…" he paused and stared off in thought for a moment. He leaned on the shovel he was using as he thought. "Maybe she'll even let me eat strawberries off her again…." He took a minute to think about that and fantasize before quickly coming back to reality. He shook his head. "Nope! Can't fantasize now! I gotta dig! DIG!"

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45 Minutes Later

Taylor grunted as he made another shovel full of dirt and tossed it up to his pile, though most of the dirt just fell right back down on him since the whole was so deep. He had dug out a hole that was about five feet deep and about six feet wide.

"Almost there, I'm sure of it!" he told himself. He continued to dig until a voice called to him.

"Taylor?"

Taylor froze in mid motion, the shovel halfway through another dig. His eyes widened. He dropped the shovel and straightened up, having been bent over. He looked up and out of his hole, his head just barely seeing over the ground. His blue eyes landed on G2, who was staring down at him in disbelief.

"Taylor, what the hell are you doing?" she demanded shrilly as she carefully stepped through the destroyed flower bed.

Taylor looked like a deer caught in the head lights.

"Why are you digging a hole in the flower beds?" she demanded next, stopping next to Taylor's hole and looking down at him with concern. She leaned down, wearing jeans and a shirt, her purse on her arm. She offered a hand to him, careful not to get her shoes in the piles of dirt.

Taylor quickly accepted it and got dirt all over her dainty hand. With her cyborg strength, she was able to pull Taylor out of the whole with little problem. He climbed out of the hole and over the piles of dirt he had created and gave a sigh of exhaustion.

G2 looked him over head to toe now that she could get a good look at him.

His whole body was covered in dirt. His hair was matted with dirt and sweat, his clothes were a mess. His jacket had been taken off and thrown with the dirt, causing it to now be half buried. Dirt all over his face and his white shirt sleeved shirt was now ruined.

"Hi…" he waved tiredly, his eyes still slightly wild.

"Taylor, are you okay?" inquired G2 worriedly.

Taylor nodded, swaying on his feet a bit. "Fine! I forgot my keys so I was locked out and I tried the garage door but I didn't know the password so I tried the windows but they just bruised my man metal and then I tried climbing to our open window but I just fell and crushed your flowers and then I thought I'd dig a hole and dig my way into the house and that's what I'm in the middle of doing!" he said all in one breath and sentence. He took in a deep breath after that, making himself look like he was high on something. He glanced back down at his hole. He then grinned and started laughing hysterically; doubling over as he fought for breath. Tears came from his eyes he was laughing so hard.

G2, on the other hand, just stood there and watched nervously, not sure what to make of him.

After several moments though, Taylor's laughter turned to sobs and whimpers before he finally took a step closer to G2 and said brokenly, "I just want inside my house!"

G2 stood there and stared at him with a look of pity, holding onto her purse. She smiled sadly at him and took a hand and rubbed it over his dirty cheek and through his dirty and messy hair. "Taylor….sweetie….?" she spoke softly.

"Hmm?"

"You do realize there is a spare key under the front door's doormat, right?"

Taylor just stared at her, dumbfounded and horror-stricken. "….."What?" he squeaked, his voice high pitched.

G2 nodded. "Come on, sweetie. You must have forgotten…." she tugged at his shirt sleeve and pulled him towards the front door. "Let's get you inside…" She knew it was pointless to have him take his shoes off since he was covered in dirt anyways.

Just as she was about to shut the front door, he pushed it back open and pulled the doormat up, where a small silver key sat there innocently, almost mocking him. He sneered down at the key. "You belong under there! Because people can step on you every day! I'll be sure to step EXTRA hard on this doormat from now on!" he threatened the key. The key just sat there. He began to tremble. "DON'T MOCK ME!" he screamed, pointing an accusing, dirt-covered finger at the key.

G2 grabbed him by the arm, whispering soothing tones into his ear. "Come on, darling; let's get inside….Away from the inanimate key…." She had never seen Taylor so wound up before. "You seem overly emotional. I think you must have hit your head when you fell earlier." She pulled him into the house.

"Maybe…" he agreed, calming down a bit now that he was getting to go inside. Once the door was closed, he asked, "Can I eat strawberries off you again?"

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Author's Note: Taylor is forgetful. He's silly and childish and sometimes just doesn't realize what he's doing. This is what I could see happen to him if he ever forgot his keys. No Gadget in this one, sorry, but hopefully you still found it cute and funny


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Author's Note: This one-shot takes place after "Man and Machine".

Author's Note: There are some references from my last one-shot in the previous chapter, "House Keys".

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"August 5th"

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"Hmm…..G2…." mumbled Taylor Braydon dreamily as he slumbered on in the cold white sheets of his bed. "Hmm….." He twisted his body over the bed and reached his arm over to G2's side of the bed as he pushed the side of his face deeper into the pillow. He had a large grin on his face as his mind thought of what he wanted to do. His cybernetic arm reached and moved in search for his girlfriend; his finger twitching with anticipation. After still not reaching his girlfriend, the deputy started to get frustrated in his half-asleep state. "…..G2?"

After another thirty seconds of relentless reaching, Taylor finally opened his bleary eyes to find that he was lying alone on his bed. With a pout, Taylor sat up some more, holding himself up on his elbow. He took note that he was alone in the bedroom; G2 was nowhere to be found.

He turned and glanced at the alarm clock next to the bed. It read: 7:36.

Taylor stared at the clock while his sluggish mind woke up. He ran a hand through his blonde hair. "It's too early for her to have left to take Grace to school yet…" he yawned. He paused, listening to the sounds of the house. He didn't hear baby Alice moving around or crying or cooing in her crib. Surely G2 wouldn't have left Alice in the house without informing him first so he could watch her.

Taylor frowned as he untangled himself from the sheets and drew his legs over the side of the bed. It was certainly strange to wake up without G2. She usually woke him up for work as she started to get up herself to get Grace ready for school. Taylor rubbed at her eyes and yawned again, figuring he should check just to make sure Alice wasn't there before taking a shower and getting ready for work.

He got up, wearing nothing but his blue boxers and stepped out into the hallway where he went down the hall and into the room beside his where Alice's room was. He glanced into the crib to find it was empty.

Taylor grimaced. "A heads up would have been nice…." He muttered before heading into the bathroom, his mind focused on where G2 and the girls could be this early in the morning.

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Taylor took in a deep breath and slowly let it out; his eyes closed as he stood just before the garage door inside his house. Taylor had been spoiled so much since either G2 or Gadget gave him rides to and from work that it had been a while since he had had to drive himself anywhere. Now, as he stood in the far side of his kitchen and before the door that led to the garage, he braced himself.

Memories of the day he had been in the garage when the bomb had gone off were still vivid in his mind. He hated the garage now, even if he had gotten a cyborg body because of it. He still remembered the pain it brought him.

"You'll only be in there for about thirty seconds…." He told himself. He pressed the garage door opener that was next to the door. He listened as the door opened from outside. He raised his hand that held the keys to the car.

"Three….two…one…" he counted down. He then made a break for it. He opened the door quickly and slammed it behind him as he went down the few steps and into the actual garage. The door slammed shut, the glass window in it shattering. Taylor flinched at the sound. "Oops, slammed it too hard…." He mumbled as he flung the car door open and hopped into the driver's seat. He pushed the leys into the ignition and the car roared to life. The deputy didn't waste a moment in putting the car in reverse and shooting out the garage, the wheels squealing and leaving tire marks on the garage floor. "Oops…."

He flew down the driveway and out into the street. A car honked; having been driving down the street, before coming to a complete stop before Taylor could hit them. Taylor looked at the car in the rear view mirror. "No need to be rude!" he huffed before taking off, unaware that he had nearly been in a car accident.

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Taylor parked the car in front of the police station; the car coming to a screeching halt. He turned off the ignition and got out of the car, remembering; for once, to lock it. He glanced around to see there was no sign of the Gadget Mobile, meaning Gadget wasn't there yet. He stuffed the keys into his pocket as he walked in through the front door.

Several of the other police officers watched as he came in and started taunting him.

"Hey, if it isn't Mr. Wonder Boy himself" one of them crowed as Taylor walked by.

The guys laughed. "Where's your partner? The Inspector?"

"Yeah, you're not shoved up his ass for once!"

"Surprised you knew how to get here without him!" laughed another.

Taylor shook his head and just tuned them out. They were always making fun of him; yet he tried not to let it bother him because as Gadget once told him, they used to make fun of him too. It made himself feel better knowing he wasn't entirely alone.

"Don't break the door down with your…..'Manly Metal'!" crowed another officer.

Taylor stopped just before Quimby's office door and looked at them. "Hey! It's MAN Metal. Get it right!" he snapped at them before walking into the Chief's office. The officers simply laughed at him.

Taylor didn't give the other guys another thought once his eyes landed on his Chief Quimby. He smiled brightly down at the head of police, who was sitting at his desk. The chief looked up and nodded. "Oh, Braydon. Good morning…" he said gruffly.

Taylor thought it was strange that he would wish him good morning, but he said nothing about it, instead he asked, "Where is Gadget, sir? Has he not come into work yet today?"

"Gadget was already here" replied Quimby without looking up from his paper work.

"Oh…" sighed Taylor, a look of surprise on his face. "Really?"

"Really."

"Why was he here so early? We usually get here about the same time."

"I asked him to" was his short reply.

"Oh…..Why?"

"That's none of your business."

"Right…..Well, what do you want me to do today, sir, since Gadget isn't here to go patrolling with. You want me to go patrolling by myself?"

"No!" Quimby's eyes widened in slight panic at the very thought. Taylor just blinked at him in confusion. "No, Taylor. I want you to take the Gadget Mobile and watch for speeders at your normal spot."

"The Gadget Mobile? But the Gadget Mobile isn't even here! He's with Gadget!"

Quimby moved back from his paper work, glanced at his watch and looked behind him through the glass window, moving aside the blinds. He looked down at the parking lot before him and saw the Gadget Mobile park himself in its usual spot. "He just got here. He dropped Gadget off for the day and now he's here to work with you."

"Dropped Gadget off? Where?" demanded Taylor. He wanted answers. He wanted to know where his best friend was and why he wasn't a part of it. He hated the idea that something was going on behind his back. First he woke up to find that G2, Grace, and Alice were gone, not having bothered to say hello to him or wake him up. Then he learns he has to drive himself into work. Then now he doesn't even have Gadget to spend the day with! He has to spend the day with the grumpy Gadget Mobile watching for speeders! He was getting tired of this!

"That's none of your business either, Braydon" sneered Quimby as he turned around to face the deputy. "Now, get to work!"

Taylor crossed his arms. "May I speak freely sir?" he asked, remembering his place next to the Chief.

"No."

Taylor's frown deepened as he turned on his heel and left.

Chief Quimby watched him go, remembering a time when Gadget had acted the same way. He felt bad for treating him that way, but that was just the way it had to be. Quimby frowned, "I am NOT going soft…." He grunted to himself before turning back to his paperwork.

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The hours ticked by and Taylor sat in the Gadget Mobile, bored as ever as he stared off into space; slumped into his seat. The rest of the day had not gone any better for the deputy. It was a hot, sunny August day without a cloud in the sky. Meaning Taylor was forced to sit in the sun out by the highway and wait for the speeders he knew he wouldn't catch go by.

"Today sucks!" announced Taylor as he put his feet on the dashboard.

"Get your feet of my dashboard!" demanded the Gadget Mobile.

"No."

"No? Did you just say 'no' to me?" snapped the car in anger.

"Yeah, I did" sneered Taylor, feeling more and more grumpy by the minute. Today had been far from a good day. He didn't even get to see his girlfriend that morning. No kisses or hugs, no 'I love you', no goodbyes, no 'Have a good day, Taylor!' Nothing! He was mad at G2 for not waking him up before she left or even bothering to tell him where she went. He was mad at Gadget for not being there at work today; even if he knew it wasn't his friend's fault. He was mad at Quimby for making him watch for stupid speeders. He was mad at the other officers for making fun of him and man metal. Now he was mad at the Gadget Mobile for telling what to do.

Gadget Mobile paused a moment before saying, "Alright, what's wrong?" The car's whole voice and demeanor changed so suddenly it caught Taylor off guard.

"What?"

"What's wrong?" repeated the car.

Taylor narrowed his eyes at the car's dashboard, viewing the little animation of the car. "Like you care" he hissed, crossing his arms. A large gust of wind went by as a car sped along the highway, though Taylor paid no attention to it.

Gadget Mobile sighed. "You just missed a speeder" he informed him.

"So what else is new?" grumbled Taylor.

"That's it! Stop it with bein' Mr. Grumpy Pants!"

"Why should I? Everyone has been mean to be today, so I'm going to be mean back!"

"Mean to you? How?"

Taylor opened his mouth to say something, yet stopped himself. "I won't bother telling you. You'll just laugh at me like those jerks at the station."

"Those boys still pickin' fun of you?" asked Gadget Mobile, sounding angered by the notion.

"Yeah, so?"

"Ooh, that makes my oil churn. Nobody makes fun of my man, Big D, but me!" he vowed.

Taylor stared at the car, pulling his feet down from the dashboard as he sat up in his seat properly. "Your man, Big D?"

Gadget Mobile looked a little embarrassed. "Well, yeah. D as in Deputy. Deputy Taylor Braydon."

"I get a nickname like Gadget does?" asked Taylor excitedly.

"Now now, don't go getting all excited!" warned Gadget Mobile. "There's a reason why I haven't told you that since now!"

Taylor laughed, not noticing the hidden insult. "Thanks, Gadget Mobile!"

"Consider it a –"the Gadget Mobile stopped in mid-sentence, catching him. Taylor gave him a questioning look.

"Consider it a what?"

Gadget Mobile was about to say something when the car phone started ringing. Taylor, curious as a kid, quickly answered the phone. "Hello, this is Deputy Taylor Braydon" he said into the phone.

"Braydon? This is Chief Quimby" said the caller on the other side of the phone.

"Chief? What can I do for you?" questioned Taylor. This was the first time the chief had ever wanted to get a hold of him before.

"Braydon, this is urgent. Gadget is still busy with his other assignment. I'm afraid I'm going to have to send you in" explained Quimby.

"What is it? Is it a case?" Taylor suddenly felt his body go wild with excitement. He grinned largely, imagining himself having a great case to be on where he would get to be the hero. "I can do it!"

Obviously able to hear Taylor's excitement, Quimby said, "Calm down, Braydon or I'll put someone else on the job!"

"N-No! Please don't do that! I'll calm down!" he promised, though he was practically bouncing in his seat.

"There has been a robbery" began the chief.

"A robbery?" squeaked Taylor happily.

Quimby sounded like he was on his last nerve with him. "I said to cool it, Braydon! And yes! There has been a break in at the Braydon Mansion. We need you there on the double! We think the suspect is still inside! The security of the house has made it so that the robber can't get out, but you can get in! We need you to go in and get them to come out! I expect you there within ten minutes! Now move! We need to catch that suspect!" Suddenly there was nothing else on the line but static.

Taylor thought about that for a moment, looking at the phone in wonder. "Braydon Mansion? Hey….I've heard of that place…..yeah….I….." Taylor paused. He frowned. "Wait a minute! That's MY house!"

"You heard the chief! No time to lose!" cried out the Gadget Mobile

Before Taylor knew what was going on, the Gadget mobile suddenly roared to life and its wheels were burning rubber as it sped down the highway. Taylor cried out in shock, going sideways in his chair since he hadn't been sitting in it properly. The Gadget Mobile ignored his shock and kept on driving without saying another word.

"Wait! Hang on! I don't understand what's going on! Someone broke into my mansion?" he called over the wind since they were now going over the speed limit.

"Yes, Big D, now we gotta move!" answered the car. It was then that a set of police popped up and out from the front of the car and started going off, a siren soon blaring with it.

"WOW! We get to drive with the siren on?" exclaimed Taylor as he managed to get his seatbelt on. "Today is getting better after all!" He laughed happily as they went by; putting his hands on the wheel so that those who watched them drive by could think he was the one driving. Taylor watched the people they passed once they got into town and felt a bubble of pride well up inside him. This was the sort of thing he had always wanted. Now everyone was going to think he was a hero.

The Gadget Mobile drove to the other side of town until he had reached the upper class part of town where Taylor lived. The car got there in no time and screeched to a halt once he pulled into Taylor's long drive way. The sirens went off along with the lights as the Gadget Mobile quietly said, "Be careful now, Braydon. There's no tellin' who's in that house!"

Taylor nodded as a he slowly and quietly got out of the car, every movie he had ever watched involving cops now playing in his mind as he tried to imitate them. He snuck around the other side of the car and got up close to his garage doors. He could see the large hole he had dug a few weeks ago when he had been locked outside. He had yet to fill it; much to G2's anger. He also took note that the windows needed washed.

Taylor shook his head. Now was not the time to be thinking about those kinds of things. This was serious; this was police business. Chief Quimby was counting on him since Gadget was busy with something else. He didn't know what; but that didn't matter.

The deputy stepped slowly along his sidewalk and up to the front door. It was then that it occurred to him that he had no weapon if he needed one. Panic rose inside him and he debated whether or not to go back to the Gadget Mobile. Nervously, Taylor glanced back at the car, rubbing the back of his neck. He was bent down slightly for reasons he wasn't sure. The robber would be able to see him through the window anyways. The chief had said his security system had locked him inside but Taylor would be able to get inside. He pulled out his car keys and went for the house key. Only to find that it wasn't there.

Taylor sighed and mentally kicked himself. He didn't grab both set of keys. Why both car and house keys weren't on the same set, he didn't know. He shoved the car back into his pocket as he got to the front door. Grudgingly, he lifted the doormat and grabbed the spare key which he still despised from his last row with it. "Don't even say a word…." He sneered to the key after picking it up. He knew the key loved to mock him.

He placed the key in the lock and slowly opened the door, having no idea what he would find on the other side. As he stepped over the threshold, the house was completely black, until suddenly the lights flew on.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TAYLOR!"

Taylor flinched back a bit, his blue eyes wide with shock as the door slowly shut behind him. Now that the lights were on he could see exactly what was happening and he was flabbergasted to say the least.

At the bottom of the stairs and in his front living room stood all of his friends, who were all smiling at him. Gadget stood in the middle of everyone, Penny's arms wrapped around his chest. G2 was next to them, with little Alice in her arms. Grace stood in front of G2 and Maxie stood on the other side of Penny. Lula was off the side but looking just as happy. Little Emily stood in front of her. Even Chief Quimby was there, a small smile on his otherwise gruff face.

"Uhh…." Was all Taylor could say.

Gadget walked up to him after penny let him go. He walked up to Taylor and gave him a large hug. "Happy birthday, buddy!" he whispered into Taylor's ear. As they let go, Taylor just stared, his mouth open a bit. "You didn't think we would forget your birthday, did you?"

Taylor just stood there for a moment, baffled, while everyone waited for him to say something. Taylor then finally managed to get out, "Today's my birthday?"

Gadget laughed at him heartily. "Yeah! It's August 5th! You mean, you didn't know?"

Taylor was just able to shake his head, still too stunned to really say anything. G2 walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. "Oh, it's alright, sweetie. We just wanted to do something special for you all. It was Gadget's idea to have a surprise party."

Taylor looked at her, giving her a kiss before asking, "You mean, you guys all had this planned?" he turned to the chief. "Even you?"

Chief Quimby nodded. "That's right. I didn't want to at first, but with some convincing, they got me to go along with it."

Gadget shook his head and rolled his eyes at Quimby. "Whatever, Chief. You loved the idea!"

Quimby ignored him, looking away.

Taylor turned his attention to G2, pulling her close and giving her a kiss. He pouted. "I missed you this morning…."

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I knew if I stayed, I'd end up spilling the beans! I've just been so excited! And I knew Grace might accidently say something too. I didn't want to spoil the surprise…"

Taylor smiled lovingly at her. "Make up for it tonight?" he whispered, feeling his man metal shiver at the thought.

G2 seductively whispered into his ear. "You bet, Birthday Boy…." She playfully pinched his butt before turning to everyone. The deputy had to force himself not to pounce on her right at that moment. He was slightly pink in the face though as his attention turned to the present.

"Happy Birthday, Uncle Taylor!" giggled Grace as she walked up to his 'Uncle' and gave him a card. "This is for you. I made it at school in my art class." Taylor took the card and marveled at the hand drawn picture of a rainbow on the white folded piece of paper. He opened it up and saw that it said, 'Happy Birthday, Uncle Taylor' in big scribbly letters. Taylor looked down at the card and he felt his heart melt with happiness. A soft smile formed over his face as he looked down at Grace. "Thank you so much, sweetie!" He bent down and allowed the little girl to give him a bug hug.

"This is for you too, Taylor" said Maxie as he stepped up next to them. Taylor took the card the young boy was handing to him and saw that it was another handmade card that had the same thing inside, only a dog was drawn on the front of it. "Aww, thank you, Maxie!"

He stood up after having been bent down. He smiled down at Emily, who was shyly hiding behind Lula's skirt. Lula looked down at her daughter, who was by far, much more shyer than Grace when it came to Taylor. "Go on, Emily, give him your card."

They all patiently waited as Emily got the courage to hand Taylor his card. All the adults thought the whole exchange was adorable. It was nice for them to all get together and share such a moment like this, for after the hard times they had had in the past and the possible bad times that could come, they all knew they needed to enjoy it while it lasted.

"Thank you, Emily!" he smiled at the girl after looking over her card. He glanced over at the kitchen and his eyes landed on a large cake. "Hey! Is that cake for me?" Without waiting for an answer, he walked into the kitchen and stepped before the cake, which said, "Happy 34th Birthday, Taylor!" Taylor looked as though he was about to swipe his finger over the icing when G2 stopped him. "wait! Let me get a picture with you and the cake!" she gushed, bringing out her camera. Taylor posed in front of the cake, a large grin on his face as she snapped a picture. Taylor then turned to the piece of cake. "Who wants cake?" he called out. He started distributing pieces of his cake to everyone.

Once everyone had out a piece of cake, they all cried out once more, "Happy Birthday, Taylor!" Taylor just laughed as everyone started talking and he looked around, loving every moment of it.

"Tay!" called out a small voice.

Everyone in the room froze.

"Tay!" cried out the little voice again. All eyes turned to little Alice, who was now being held in Gadget's arms as he ate his cake with one hand; his cake sitting on the table. She was wearing a little purple dress with a frilly skirt. Gadget stared at his daughter. "Alice! Was that you?"

"Tay!" the child cried out happily in response.

"Alice spoke!" cried out Emily happily.

G2 stepped up next to her daughter and ex-husband. "Oh, sweetie, you spoke!"

Taylor leaned over the table to look at the little girl. "Are you trying to say my name?" he asked her.

"Tay!"

Everyone laughed.

"Aww, you're such a sweetheart!" gushed Taylor as he stepped over to give Alice a kiss on the forehead and run a hand through what little hair she had.

"Tay!"

Taylor stepped to the other side of Gadget as he ate his cake. "Thanks Gadget" he said to him quietly.

"Don't mention it, birthday boy" winked Gadget before eating more of his cake. He discreetly handed Taylor a bottle of beer, not wanting the kids to see much of it. Taylor accepted it and took a swig once it was open.

Taylor looked all around him, loving all the people who were with him for his day. The day he didn't even remember was today! But they remembered and that's all that counted. He loved everyone that was in his life. Never before had he had this many friends and loved ones and right now, he felt like the luckiest guy alive. He wrapped his arm around G2 and pulled her close, knowing he would never forget this moment. What turned out to be a very bad day, ended up as a great day.

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Author's Note: Taylor's birthday! He forgot his own birthday! LOL That is something Taylor would do! LOL Now we know why Gadget Mobile was talking the way he was. Hope you all liked it.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon and Delia Braydon belong to Aline Riva.

Author's Note: This one-shot takes place BEFORE "Man and Machine". This is a glimpse of Taylor and Delia's life/marriage before they met Inspector Gadget.

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"Unrequited"

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"Taylor, how many times must I ask you to keep your stuff on YOUR side of the room?" snapped Delia Braydon as she tossed a book called, 'Cybernetics for Dummies' over to his side of the bed where it landed on his legs. She went back to pulling her blonde hair up and out of her face. The two of them sat underneath the sheets, slowly getting ready for bed.

Taylor, who had been flipping through a technology magazine as he sat in bed in nothing but his boxers, flinched when the book hit him. He pressed the magazine to his chest so he could see what she threw at him. "Oh, sorry…" he mumbled. He glanced over at his wife as he dog-eared the page he was one and put the magazine on the bedside table. "Don't really see why we have to have 'sides'; this is OUR room after all."

Delia frowned at him from the corner of her eyes. "Well, how else do you expect to keep things organized around here?"

Taylor shrugged, his hands sliding up and down his lap as though he were nervous. "I don't know. I guess I just don't see a problem with a book or two of mine being your side of the room."

Delia finished messing with her hair and started adjusting the lavender bed sheets and comforter they were currently under. The room had white walls and basic black drapes. On Taylor's side of the room he had a dresser full of his clothes with books, magazines, and random old toy cars on top. Toys which he claimed were antiques he liked to keep, but Delia knew he still loved to play with them. His side of the room was fairly neat, but still needed some tidying up. Socks were strewn about wherever he laid them. Pants on the desk chair were he had more books on technology and cybernetics. There was a small mirror connected to the dresser.

Delia's side of the room however was neat as a pin. Not a thing was out of place. She had a dresser identical to Taylor's and a large mirror near the window that was on the side of her room. A hamper for dirty clothes was near the closet; the only closet in the room. There was not a single particle of dust anywhere. This was most likely the reason why she hated when Taylor left his stuff on her side of the room; she was a neat freak.

"How would you like it if MY stuff were all over on your side?" she quipped; though she regretted asking him that question when she saw the mischievous look on his face. She tried to hide her disgust as Taylor leaned in close, taking a hand and wrapped it around her thin waist. "Forget I asked!"

Taylor ignored her last comment as she pulled her close; oblivious to her urgency to move away. "You know your….stuff….is always allowed on my side…" He whispered seductively.

Delia rolled her eyes as she continued to try prying him off. "You have one dirty mind…"

He rolled over to her, shortening the distance between them. "You know, love…." He started, pulling her over to him and playing with the strap of her navy blue silk bed slip. "You promised me….that when I ran for mayor….you and I would…." He trailed off, taking a moment to close his eyes and kiss her behind the ear. "…have sex…And guess what?" He was practically on top of her at this point. "I'm running for mayor…" He grinned started kissing her neck passionately.

"Can't. I'm on my period" she said briskly, staring at the door to their bedroom in front of her. It seemed strange how she was able to ignore his intimate kisses, yet she was used to his behavior. She didn't feel nearly as attracted to him as he was to her; plain and simple.

Taylor pulled back and stared at her. "You are not! That was your excuse last week!"

"Well, I'm still on it….dear" she hissed out the last word and gave him a warning look. Taylor backed off; knowing that look very well. He gave her a crushed look.

"Oh, come on, sweetie…..I'm not asking much…" he practically pouted. He sighed when he realized that she wasn't about to be persuaded and leaned back on his side of the bed and against his pillow.

Delia glanced over at him as she reached over for a bottle of lotion on her own bedside table. "Well, if you're going to pout about it!" she groused, applying some of the lotion on her arms.

Taylor groaned. "It's just…..Delia, sweetie….I—I just love you that's all. I was the happiest man on Earth when I married you….And…that's what you DO in a marriage….." he started fiddling with his hands and shrugged his bare shoulders. "You fall in love…..get married….sleep together….and…..eventually….hopefully…"

"Taylor, please! I am not having this discussion again!" she snipped, interrupting him. She already knew what he was going to say next and it was completely out of the question. It was not something she wished to come from their marriage, even if it was something most women did want. Yet, as Delia reminded herself, she was not like 'most' women. She wanted money, class, superiority, and power. That was not something you obtained when you had kids.

Taylor looked crestfallen, his eyes full of sadness. There was a long silence between the two of them where Taylor just stared off into space and Delia rubbed the lotion onto her arms. "You mean…you don't want to see Taylor Jr. or Delia Jr. running around the house?"

"Taylor, I have no tolerance for kids…You know that."

"It'll be different when it's your own!" he promised her.

Delia sighed as she put away the lotion. She knew this was hard for Taylor to accept and it was hard for her to ask it of him, but she knew deep down that she did not want to bare his children. When she was honest with herself, she didn't even want to be married to him. But she knew that the only way she would be able to continue making a decent living and not go bankrupt was to stick with Taylor, help him with becoming Mayor, and live off the profits. That's what she was in this for. Money. There is no room for kids in her plans. Yes, there were times when she felt bad for toying with Taylor the way she was, but then she remembered how filthy rich he was and all the money they would be living with and her guilt seemed to vanish.

Looking at Taylor, she wouldn't deny that he was handsome. He was well-built, slightly tan, good-looking face, pretty blue eyes, great smile….Yet he acted dumber than a doornail and with the IQ of a six year old in her opinion. Not to mention his strange obsession with cybernetics.

"Taylor…." She whispered. He looked at her. She leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "No….I'm sorry…"

Taylor sighed. "Fine…." He said, though he sounded far from fine about it.

Delia decided to change the subject. "Now, tomorrow we will work on your speech." She pushed herself deeper into the covers as she prepared to go to sleep.

Taylor nodded as Delia reached over and turned the lamp light off on her side of the room. Taylor did the same a moment later. He laid down and buried his face into his pillow once he was laying on his side; hoping his dreams would be better than his current reality.

"Goodnight, Delia. I love you."

"Goodnight, Taylor."

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Author's Note: This was what I pictured a typical night would be for Taylor and Delia. Not exactly a happy marriage is it? She just wants his money, sadly.


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Takes place after Man and Machine.

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"What's in a Name?"

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"Why do I have to fill this out again?" groaned Taylor Braydon as he leaned down over the table in one of the many rooms in his mansion that had been turned into studies. Not that Taylor ever used them of course except for rare times like this.

Inspector Gadget glanced to his left where Taylor was currently filling out some paper work for Chief Quimby. Taylor had been told to fill them out. They were for legal reasons which automatically meant it was beyond Taylor's capacity to fully understand how important they were. The inspector had been told to help his deputy and make sure it was filled in properly.

"When you became my deputy you never really properly applied. You were simply given the job. That is not typically how someone gets that kind of position on the force; especially Deputy" the dark haired cyborg explained.

Taylor pulled away a bit from the desk and put the pen down. He eyed the piece of paper on front pf him warily. "So what? You had to fill out a never-ending supply of paperwork?"

Gadget shook his head as he leaned back in his own chair. He wasn't filling anything out but he was reading the paper as he waited patiently for his friend. The same friend who he knew would eventually start complaining.

He had guessed right.

"Well yes AND no... I DID have to fill put paperwork but I always had to go through some training."

"Training?" echoed Taylor as he turned to his friend. The Blonde man started leaning back on his wooden chair. The floor was carpeted but the fall could still hurt.

Gadget nodded. "Yes but I didn't start off as an inspector. I actually started off as a security guard." Gadget told him. He frowned as he watched Taylor lean back further.

Taylor considered this for a moment. "So... you were Security Guard Gadget back then?" wondered the childish man out loud. "Boy is that a mouthful!" He shook his head at the very idea.

He just stared at him. He was flabbergasted to think Taylor thought that. He quickly shook his head. "No! I wasn't Gadget back then!"

Taylor blinked at him. "Then who were you? Wasn't your name Gadget?"

Gadget sighed. It was such a simple question yet it held such a heavy weight that he could practically feel on his shoulders. Taylor watched as his friend's eyes clouded over for reasons he didn't understand. "I wasn't always known as Gadget. That's just what everyone started calling me; including myself. My birth name is John Brown...but I no longer go by that because..." he paused as his voice caught a bit. He could feel his emotions start to rise as he began to fight them back. "...because that part of me died along with most of my body..."

Taylor looked at his best friend as though he was seeing him in a whole new light. His eyes were wide and his face was contorted into a heart wrenching expression that made him look like he was going to cry. "I had no idea they did that!"

Gadget shrugged as he pushed away deeper thoughts. He raised an eyebrow. "You didn't think Gadget was my real name did you?"

Taylor looked at him sheepishly before giving another push on the chair. This time he went so far back he wasn't able to catch himself and he was suddenly on the floor which a thud. "Ow!" he cried when he made impact. He had landed on his back and now his long legs were dangling awkwardly in the air.

"Are you okay?" asked Gadget worriedly as he leaned down to check.

"I think I bruised my man metal..." he sighed sadly as he sat up. He set the chair up properly and sat in it. He rubbed at his back. "But nothing it can't handle."

Gadget decided to change the subject. "But no...Gadget is not my real name."

"Huh..." pondered Taylor. He looked at Gadget and studied his face. "I guess I can see you as a John." Gadget nodded. "But I think you make a better Gadget."

Gadget contemplated his words. There was a time when he didn't see himself as anybody. Just a cyborg who'd had his life turned upside down and stolen in an explosion. He had moved on from John Brown long ago. "I guess so..." he muttered.

Taylor picked his pen back up and started filling more on. After another moment though he thought our loud: "What's G2's real name then?"

Gadget just groaned lightly and went back to his paper. He figures if Taylor couldn't figure it out then there was no hope for him. The rest pf the evening was spent trying to gently shut up a now curious deputy.

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Author's Note: Sorry for the shortness but I'm on vacation and I wrote this on my Kindle Fire. Very frustrating. This was just an idea that's been in my head. Hope you liked it. [:)]


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Takes place after Rise of the Lazarus.

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"Not Meant to Be"

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"Alright" sighed Inspector Gadget as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He glanced up and watched the man who was currently sulking on his couch. "It's 6 AM on a Saturday, Taylor. What are you doing in my house?"

Taylor Braydon sighed and seemed to sink further into the cushions of the couch, his back facing the inspector. He was wearing blue cotton pajamas that had little red race cars as its print. The sleeves and pants seemed extra big on him, making him look like a child. Gadget, on the other hand, was wearing pajamas a little more age appropriate: a loose white t-shirt and navy blue pajama bottoms.

The blonde haired deputy just remained quiet as Gadget walked over to the couch and sat himself next to his friend. "Come on, Taylor. There has to be a reason why you were banging on my door ten minutes ago. It's a miracle you didn't wake Alice. Although, Penny is far from thrilled….." he paused and said more quietly. "Woman's time…."

Taylor glanced over at his friend almost forlornly, as though he had very little interest. He caught on to what he meant by that comment. Just like any other man who's ever lived with a woman, he was very familiar with how women could get during their 'time'. Yet the blonde still didn't say anything, instead just crossed his arms over his chest and pouted as he stared out before him.

After watching Taylor for another minute and taking a sip of his coffee, Gadget wasn't able to take any more of it. Taylor Braydon was not the type of guy to sit quietly on a couch and pout without at least explaining. He set his cup of coffee down on the table before them and turned to him. "Okay, seriously, Taylor; you're scaring me. What is wrong?" Gadget gave him a look of pure worry and concern.

Taylor took in a deep breath and sighed. The usually happy, childish, exuberant man looked tired; judging by the bags under his eyes. If Gadget had to guess, he would say his friend had gained very little sleep recently. After what seemed like an eternity to the sleepy inspector, Taylor finally croaked out, "I'm breaking up with G2…."

Gadget's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're what?"

Taylor looked as though he didn't feel like repeating himself, but did anyway. "I'm breaking up with G2…"

"Why?" was the first word out of Gadget's mouth, though after another moment of thinking about it, he was able to put the pieces together. "Is it…..because she doesn't want to get married again?"

Taylor's frown seemed to turn more depressing as he was sure to avert his eyes from his best friend. He fidgeted a bit before answering. "….That's part of it…"

Gadget, now fully awake and full of trepidation, leaned in a bit, wanting to hear the full of it. "Why else?"

Taylor fiddled and picked at his material of his pajama bottoms. "Well, I just….I want things that…she already has…or had….and she's content with things staying just the way they are….But…." He trailed off, not able to continue as he ducked his head down. It was clearly something that made him upset to even think about; let alone discuss. Taylor was not one to dwell on matters so seeing him this upset without getting distracted by something else was disconcerting.

Gadget, however, had an idea of where he was going. "But….you want things to keep moving forward…..like getting married…"

"And having kids…" added Taylor quietly.

"She told you she didn't want any more kids?" asked Gadget incredulously. He found himself having a tough time believing that. He couldn't see his ex-wife saying such a thing. G2 was a very maternal woman and loved kids to pieces. "I'm having a tough time seeing her say that; especially to you—She knows how much you want kids!"

Taylor fought the urge to roll his eyes as his pout grew along with his annoyance. "Okay, so, maybe she didn't say that!" he snipped. "But….she might as well have!" It was clear by his voice that he was hurt by this subject.

Gadget's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Taylor whimpered a bit. "Well-tonight-or-last night- as we were going to bed….We were goofing around…" He paused, though not to smirk and chuckle like he normally would while talking about his sex life. This time he seemed slightly choked up. "….And…I made the comment that….one of these times we might have sex and create….little Taylor Junior…." This time, Taylor was no longer able to hold it together and the man broke down.

Gadget just bowed his head and wrapped an arm around his closest friend, allowing Taylor to lean against him for support. Anyone who knew Taylor well would know how badly he wanted to be deeply in love and married to the woman of his dreams with a child of his own. Taylor was a family-based guy; he loved the idea of coming home to a loving family. After having been shot down by G2 when he had first proposed, Taylor had been distraught, yet easily bounced back up; determined to try again and again. Yet it seemed it was now sinking in that he would never get those things if he stayed with G2.

"It's okay, Taylor" comforted Gadget. "Shh…..Just relax. Now, tell me what she said. I'm still a little lost on all this. You say she didn't flat out refuse having your kids?"

Taylor shook his head and through his tears he spoke, "No….she didn't….but….she said she wasn't 'planning' on having any more kids. She said something about already having a kid and not seeing a reason to put more strain on ourselves both physically and emotionally…..I think she even mentioned financially, but….I can't see how THAT'S a problem….I'm RICH!" He fell back into a huff of sobs. "She said….that if we have another kid…it'll be because we weren't being careful enough….I mean…..she wasn't mean about it….She said she'd love any children we'd have together….but that's not the point!"

Gadget pulled Taylor closer to him; wanting nothing more than to be there for him in his time of need. G2 was an android; her thought process was based on logic. Cold hard facts. While she was capable of feeling any and all emotions a regular human could, there were still times when her logical mind interfered. G2 was not trying to be rude or cold hearted when she said these things, they both understood that. She was only able to see things logically and therefore obviously found it illogical to have children out of wedlock and while she already had a child to raise with him.

Gadget waited for his friend to continue.

After several long moments, Taylor finally calmed himself down enough to continue. "The point is…" he gave a dry sob. "…..The point is…..She doesn't WANT to have kids with me….It wouldn't be by her choice! It would just be something that would happen and that she would….have to live with!"

Gadget nodded; finally understanding. He could see why that would upset Taylor. While he was a man who has had kids out of wedlock, he knew what it felt like to have a child with someone who hadn't planned on it. Emily was a wonderful child who Gadget loved with all his heart, but there was always that knowledge that she was unplanned in the back of his mind that would forever haunt him. It was entirely different to have a child with someone who wanted the same things than with someone who didn't.

Taylor leaned his head on Gadget's shoulder, his sobs weakening and the tears coming less and less. "I've been up all night, Gadget…..I can't sleep…..I'm all worked up….I've never felt this way before…"

"Does G2 know you feel this way? I mean, does she know this is how you're reacting to this?" was Gadget's question.

The deputy shrugged. "She knows I was disappointed…but….I didn't exactly let her know….it hurt this much…."

"Why not?"

Taylor shrugged again. "…..Because….I guess I knew…..it wouldn't make a difference…She still wouldn't change her mind. And….tonight….I've decided…I'm just gonna break up with her. I just…..don't see the point in being with her anymore…." He rubbed at his eyes with his car patterned sleeve as his sobs grew even quieter. "I want her to be happy….but….I want to be happy too…." He was silent for a moment before looking up at Gadget. "Is that selfish of me?"

Gadget's eyes widened slightly as he was quick to shake his head. "No, Taylor! There is nothing selfish about wanting to be happy in your relationship. Dating….AND marriage…..is a two-way street. You both have to want the same things and you both need to be happy. Otherwise, you may think you're happy….when in reality….you are both miserable…"

Taylor nodded. "It just hurts…."

Gadget nodded.

"I really do love her, Gadget…."

Gadget patted him on the back. "I know."

"….And I wish things could work out…."

"It's okay…."

"Why can't I find someone who wants the same things as me?"

"You WILL" encouraged Gadget as he rubbed Taylor's shoulder. "There is some lucky woman out there waiting for you to find her. Someday you'll find the woman you're meant to spend the rest of your live with. Someone far better than Delia….Someone who loves you for who you are. Someone even better than G2…Yes, G2 is a wonderful woman…..I loved her once….I still do….But there is a woman out there who wants the exact same things you do. Someone who wants little Taylor Junior…."

Taylor smiled at the idea as he sniffed away the last of his tears. "Taylor Junior…." He mumbled affectionately. "I can't wait to meet him when he's born…."

Gadget smiled as he watched his friend's face and attitude lighten. "Or she…" he pointed out. "Taylorette."

Taylor laughed, liking that name. "Yeah….Maybe you're right, Gadget." Gadget nodded optimistically. "There are hundreds of women out there…..just dying for a taste of my man metal…"

Gadget laughed heartily. "That's the way to think of it!" He patted his friend on the back.

The two of them sat there silently for several long minutes; both lost in their own thoughts. Taylor calmed down to the point where he could breathe properly without sniffling every other breath. "Thanks, Gadget. I needed that pep talk…..I'm sorry it had to be so early in the morning though…..I just…..had to get out of there…..I couldn't stand it…"

"So, you walked here?"

"Yeah. Got lost three times."

"Does she know you left?"

"No."

"Don't you think she'll be worried when she wakes up and finds you gone?"

"Probably…..But….I'll explain things to her when I get back…."

"Are you still going to let her stay at the mansion?"

"…." Taylor didn't reply at first, instead just ducked his head down.

"Taylor?"

"I don't know yet….I mean…..I want her to stay there, since she needs a place to stay ….I don't want to kick her out….and I have plenty of space….but…"

"It might be too hard" offered Gadget.

Taylor nodded. He leaned his head back on Gadget's shoulder.

"Well…" commented Gadget in a lighter tone. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "It is now officially half past six and my coffee has gone cold. You want any?"

Taylor thought about it for a moment. "…..Can I have marshmallows in mine?"

"In your coffee?"

"Yeah, doesn't everyone do that?"

"In your hot chocolate, maybe, but not their coffee" chuckled Gadget as he stood up.

Taylor just gawked at him. "What's the difference? That's all coffee is, right? Hot chocolate?"

Gadget just stared at him incredulously. "No! Far from!" He shook his head as Taylor stood up. "Anyways; hot chocolate it is!"

Taylor grinned and followed Gadget into the kitchen; allowing himself to momentarily forget the pain in his heart. He knew going to Gadget would make him feel better.

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Author's Note: Well, I had always wondered what the scene would be like when Taylor finally announced he would be breaking up with G2. I thought about writing the actual conversation Taylor would have with her, but I liked this idea better. This was a little more on the emotional side, but I wanted to write this, mainly for a lot of the other ideas I have for these one-shots. I wanted to get this out of the way. Enjoy!


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Benji belong to Aline Riva.

SPOILERS! I warn you all now, this takes place after Doomsday Machine. If you have not read Aline's 4th installment, I suggest you do because otherwise this chapter will leave you entirely confused! Involves an altered timeline and everything else!

Note: Some dialogue comes straight from "Man and Machine" by Aline Riva.

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"We've Met Before"

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"You are just like I remember you…."mumbled Lula Smith as she shook her head and watched as Taylor happily looked at his microchips in the hand mirror. Taylor didn't hear her comment, for he was too busy admiring his new microchips and cyborg body parts. Not all of him was cybernetic, but that didn't matter to him.

He had just finished explaining to her what his 'man metal' was and how he had always wanted to be a cyborg; so much to the point that he had a fetish over it and often had naughty dreams of a sexy doctor turning him into a cyborg.

The blonde doctor just watched over the man before her, unable to believe it was the same man who she had been waiting to see all these years. He was just like she remembered him; though she hadn't realized just how excited he was about cybernetics. Taylor was a handsome man with his blonde locks and bright blue eyes. His skin was tanned ever so slightly that brought out his well-toned muscles. She had missed him.

Lula was snapped out of her thoughts when Taylor began speaking to her. "I'm very grateful to you." He told her, "And I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to…" he commented, referring to his lewd imaginings. "I mean, you do this kind of stuff to guys all the time! I'm so lucky this has happened to me! I'm a rich guy but I couldn't find a doctor willing to do this to my body – they all said no..."

He paused, remembering something.

"Well there was this one guy who said he could fit some chips for me. But he wasn't a doctor. And he wanted to do it naked..." He frowned."I don't know why..." He said in a puzzled voice, "But I turned him down because he wasn't qualified. But you've made my dreams come true! And if you want to help yourself just come over here and –"

"No!" Lula told him firmly as she tried not to smile, "Taylor, I'm married. And I don't have relationships with patients…." She trailed off, her thoughts turning to Gadget for a moment before turning to the man before her.

The man she had met once before.

"Well-I did once – Well—twice—" she fumbled, trying to get the right words out. She went silent as she stared down at the floor. She couldn't look this man in the eyes anymore. Her mind was reeling with how she should handle this. She hadn't planned on telling Taylor so soon, but now that he was finally here, after so many years, she couldn't stop herself anymore.

Taylor raised an eyebrow at her. "Twice?" he echoed with a hint of amusement. "That's okay! I can be your third!" His impish grin widened as he turned to her.

"Actually, YOU were my second…" she muttered.

"Huh?"

Lula shook her head as she tried her best to keep him from smiling. God, he hadn't changed a bit. She reached into her lab coat and pulled out a small radio device. She clicked the button. "Benji, could you come down into the operating room for a moment?" Her words were amplified over the loud speaker so that everyone could hear it. Her voice was filled with emotion as she said these words and Taylor couldn't fathom why.

He made a face. "You know, Benji sounds like a guy name….If I'm going to be in a threesome…I'd prefer it if it were with two women….." he paused before a thought struck him. Her looked back up at her with wide eyes. "Unless he's a cyborg too! I might let it slide then!"

Lula shook her head and placed her face in one of her hands. "We're not having a threesome!" She tired desperately to get the mental images out her head that she was currently having.

"Ahh, okay."

The two of them waited in silence for several minutes as they waited for Benji to arrive. In the meantime though, Lula was wracking her brain trying to figure out the best way to explain all of this to Taylor. She had not planned to introduce Benji to him so soon, but he was recovering so quickly and was already up and about; she knew she had no choice.

"Taylor….Believe it or not….You and I….have actually met before…" she started out slowly.

Taylor looked up from admiring the microchips on his chest. "No, we haven't."

Lula nodded. "Yes. We have." She glanced back at the door to the operating room and seeing that it was still closed, she turned back to Taylor. "We met each other fourteen years ago…"

Taylor shook his head. "Not possible. I was still living with my parents then and we were on cruises in the Bahamas all the time. And even when we WERE home, I didn't move here to Riverton until about two years ago."

Lula sighed. It was not be an easy task explaining that he was from the future—or would be from the future. She still often had troubles understanding the logistics of the timeline, but she had a good sense of how to explain it all. She just hoped it worked. "I met you fourteen years ago" she continued. "You came from the future with a mission and you and I met. And we….ended up….having sex…."

Taylor just stared at her with a look of pure confusion; it was as though she was speaking a different language to him. He closed his eyes. "That hurts my brain. All I understood out of that was that we had sex." He opened his blue eyes. "Which, THAT I can understand!" His grin widened as he took a hand and played with one of the curls of her blonde hair.

Lula took a step back from him as she kept from blushing and giggling. She had to keep professional. She was saved when the door opened and a young boy around the age of fourteen walked in. She smiled at the young boy she had raised and cared for all these years. The youthful teen was wearing a lab coat identical to Lula's and the little name tag on his coat claimed that he was 'Benji Smith'.

Benji looked up at Lula was bright, eager eyes. "Yeah, mom?" There wasn't an ounce of professionalism in his voice or mannerisms, despite his outward, studious appearance.

Taylor stared at the boy in front of him as though he were in a trance.

The boy looked identical to him.

Same hair, same eyes, same nose, same jawline, same build (albeit younger).

Lula could see the shock in Taylor's expression and smiled softly. She took a hand and rested it on Benji's shoulder. She looked up at Taylor and had Benji turn to him as well, allowing her son to see his father for the first time in his short life. "Taylor Braydon" she announced. "I would like you to meet…..our son…" Taylor just stared at the young boy before him. "Like I said; fourteen years ago you came from the future and the two of us met and we….slept together…and after you left to go back to the future, I raised little Benji….knowing someday I would get to meet you again."

Lula's explanations fell on deaf ears as he whispered, "I have a son…."

Lula nodded, having heard him. "Now, I know this is a bit of a shock for you but—"

"It's Taylor Junior!" cried out the blonde cyborg happily as he rushed up to his son and gave him a large hug. Benji was wearing an identical smile to his father's and hugged him back happily. Having been raised on the tales of his father from the future, this was not nearly as big of a shock for the young boy as it was for Taylor.

"DAD!" shouted Benji. Once the hug ended, Benji pulled away and started rambling. "I've wanted to meet you ever since my mom first told me about you! She said you were this awesome cyborg from the future who came back with a mission to stop evil forces!"

Lula rolled her eyes at Benji's exaggeration. "I didn't say that…."

Taylor, however, seemed oblivious to the 'future' aspect of everything and simply marveled at the idea that he had a son. "You're so cool! You're like a little version of me!" He laughed. He ruffled Benji's hair, noting that it was the same fine hair as his own.

"Thanks! Yeah, I've been living with mom all these years, but she said that someday I would get to meet you!" Benji told him. He took a step back, looking up at his dad since he only came up to Taylor's chin. "In the meantime, I've been helping mom here at the lab!"

Lula nodded, grateful that her son was not completely like his father and had gotten SOME of her genius. Benji was a brilliant scientist, but lacked any other sort of skills beyond that. "Yes, I had wanted to wait to tell you until you adjusted better to your new body and got some rest, but I just couldn't hold it in any longer."

Her words, once again, went on deaf ears, for neither of them were listening to her. "My wife is going to be so shocked at both the way I look and that I now have a son!" he exclaimed. He sobered a bit though a moment later. "She never wanted kids….It made me sad….I've always wanted a little Taylor Junior." He rubbed the back of Benji's head affectionately.

"Well, now you have me!" grinned Benji.

"You bet I do!" Taylor wrapped an arm around his son and pulled him close. "Want to play Sticky-ons?"

Benji blinked at him. "What's Sticky-Ons?"

Taylor's eyes widened as he gave a slight gasp. "You don't know that game?! Wow! It's a good thing Lula introduced us when she did. No son of mine will go through his childhood without playing Sticky-ons!" he declared as he started leading him out the door.

"What is it?! What is it?!" asked Benji excitedly.

"Well, it basically consists of taking wet toilet paper and throwing it up on the ceiling and seeing if it will stay on" answered Taylor matter-of-factly. The color drained from Lula's face as she watched them walk out of the operating room.

"Sounds cool!" cried out Benji.

Lula sighed, dreading to find out what game Taylor was about to teach him. But she smiled. Benji finally had his father back. Both of them had been waiting so long until they would be able to meet each other. She knew it was Benji's father the moment she heard his name when he was first brought in after the explosion. Yet she had pushed aside all maternal instincts and forced herself not to think of the man she had once slept with and focused on saving his life; for she knew it was vital for him to stay alive.

Yet none of that mattered now. Taylor was back in their lives and she knew everything was going to be just fine.

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Author's Note: This may have confused some of you, but that's because this was written in the altered timeline which takes place in Aline's 'Doomsday Machine'. You would have to read that story to fully understand this one-shot. I hope you all enjoyed it!


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: Delia Braydon and Benji belong to Aline Riva.

SPOILERS! I warn you all now, this takes place after Doomsday Machine. If you have not read Aline's 4th installment, I suggest you do because otherwise this chapter will leave you entirely confused! Involves an altered timeline and everything else!

Note: Some dialogue comes straight from "Man and Machine" by Aline Riva. This starts off right from the scene where Delia speaks to Gadget. This is a bit of a 'what-if' chapter.

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"Strange Lady"

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"He's still alive." Gadget reminded her, "There's still hope."

More tears formed in Delia Braydon's eyes as she thought about what she had done, knowing she could tell no one. She wasn't able to bring herself to look up at Gadget anymore; not after having nearly confessed to it all.

"As long as he stays alive I can live too." She whispered, and then she looked at the wall and became lost in her own thoughts.

Gadget turned to walk back the way he came in. Delia, even lost in her own thoughts, could hear him walking down the corridor as she sat there and sobbed quietly. She knew Gadget could still hear her; she was certainly crying loud enough. Yet she didn't care. All that was currently on her mind was her own stupidity. She couldn't believe that she had nearly confessed in front of Inspector Gadget himself!

This was all such a mess that she had gotten herself into and now Taylor was involved. It had been a moment of panic; she never should have handed him the bomb!

Delia sat there alone on the chair, completely losing track of time. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there for she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts. She could picture Taylor's bright, goofy smile. She could remember all the times he had come home and handed her flowers, simply for the fact that he could. She would always brush him aside and continue on with what she was doing.

She remembered the time Taylor had proposed to her and how utterly excited he was. She had been excited as well, yet for entirely different purposes. She had used him right from the very beginning. She never thought she had loved him—truly loved him—until the moment she had handed him the bomb and walked off.

She could still hear the sound of the explosion as it gave her a sickening jolt in her stomach.

Delia closed her eyes and looked down into her lap, wiping away more tears. She didn't notice the slight shadow that was now covering her.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" asked a young male voice.

Delia started at the sound of the voice, having not known anyone was there with her. At first she thought it was Gadget, yet the voice was far different from the inspector's. She gave a huff and looked away. "If you must ask: No! I am not alright!" she snipped, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" asked the voice.

Delia shook her head before turning to look at the person speaking to her. "No, there isn't—" Her words died on her lips. The moment her eyes landed on the boy beside her, her dark eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh-Oh my God!"

Standing next to her stood fourteen year old Benji Smith, son of Dr. Lula Smith. The young boy stared down at her in confusion and sympathy, unaware of the amount of alarm and distress he was causing Delia simply by standing there.

Unaware of his carbon copy appearance to his father, Taylor Braydon, Benji just waited to see what more Delia had to say. He had yet to meet his father, nor did he have the knowledge his father was even in critical. All he knew was that his mother, Lula, was currently working on a patient who had just been in an explosion and would need cybernetic surgery to survive.

Delia, on the other hand, couldn't believe her eyes. The boy in front of her looked identical to her husband. She panted for breath as she placed a hand over her chest and stood up; on the brink of hyperventilating. "Oh-Oh…my God! You-You-" She couldn't even complete a full sentence.

"What's wrong, ma'am? Do you need a doctor?"

Delia didn't hear him however, for she was too busy trying to wrap her mind around the thought that the boy looked just like her husband. There was no possible way! Taylor didn't have a son! The only woman he had ever been with was herself. He had been a virgin before they had married. Not only that; but it was not physically possible. This boy was near fifteen years old, meaning Taylor would have had to have been around the same age when he had been conceived.

That could only mean one thing:

She had finally lost it and had gone crazy.

Being the Riverton Bomber had made her lose her senses! She had to end all of this and end it now! The very fact that her mind was now playing such devious tricks on her made her realize how much more quickly she had to act on her last and final bombing on Riverton. The sooner all of this was done and over the sooner she would be free from these apparitions. She was delusional. She was now seeing images of Taylor everywhere!

Delia ran a nervous hand through her hair as she started taking steps back from the boy, her heels echoing down the hallway with every step. "S-Stay away from me!" she warned him. She pointed an accusing finger at Benji. "You're-You're some kind of ghost! You're here to haunt me! YOU LOOK JUST LIKE HIM!" she screamed before bursting into tears.

Benji just stood there and blinked at her, having no idea what was going on.

"STOP HAUNTING ME!" she desperately turned to look down the hallway behind her before turning back to Benji. "I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Without another word, she took off down the hallway, nearly falling several times in her heels and haste; not really caring where she was going, she just knew she had to get away from Benji.

Benji watched her go and waited until she had turned a corner before commenting, "What a strange lady…."

The blonde boy in the lab coat turned to the elevator that was several feet away and walked up to it; hitting the Up button. When the doors chimed open he stepped inside and started humming a random tune. He continued to hum as he waited for the doors to close; dancing a bit in his spot to the tune he was humming.

The elevator doors shut quietly.

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Author's Note: Well, this was more of a 'what-if' chapter. What if Delia were to bump into Benji after seeing her husband in the hospital and speaking to Gadget? Well, it probably would have just driven her more insane, that's for sure. This of course, takes place in the altered timelines that happens during Doomsday. Enjoy!


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Benji and Evie belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'.

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"First Crush"

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"Please don't forget these again, Taylor" sighed Inspector Gadget as he set the keys next to his friend, who was currently sitting at the breakfast bar in the middle of his large kitchen. It was around half past ten in the morning when Gadget had arrived at the mansion with G2 and Alice in two. The two parents were hoping to spend some time with their daughter together before Penny got off work for the day.

Taylor Braydon glanced at the keys as they dropped to the bar with a soft clank. The usually upbeat man was more subdued thanks to the early hours of the morning. It was known fact that Taylor Braydon was not a morning person. While he was, by no means, a grouch or rude in the mornings, he still did not care for mornings. He was never fully there and it always took a while for his brain to wake up. Therefore, all he could do was stare blankly at the keys, one hand holding his chin up and the other hand holding a spoon as he prepared to eat his cereal.

G2 was holding little Alice in her arms as she watched her ex-boyfriend sluggishly try to keep his eyes open. "Taylor was never a morning person" she told Gadget quietly as the inspector began to look at his friend worriedly.

"Ahh, I see" mumbled Gadget. He turned his attention to Alice, who was reaching for his hat. The cyborg took off his hat and allowed his daughter to grab onto it. "You want my hat?" he cooed at her gently. Alice squealed in happiness.

It was at this moment that Evie walked into the kitchen, steering her boyfriend's son in with her. Benji looked to be in the same state as his father as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. He was wearing a baggy white shirt and gray sweatpants. The teen yawned largely as he moved over to the bar next to Taylor and leaned heavily on the counter.

"Hi, Gadget! Hi, G2! Oh, and hi Alice, sweetie!" greeted Evie warmly as she opened up the fridge. Clearly she was much more of a morning person than Taylor and Benji. She opened the fridge and pulled out the carton of milk. "Taylor, you want cereal yet you don't even bother getting the milk out!" she scolded him lightly. She shook her head as she placed the milk in front of her sleepy boyfriend.

Taylor, who had dozed off, blearily opened his eyes, his chin moving up from his propped up arm and stared at the milk like it was a foreign object.

Gadget shook his head with a bemused grin. "You'll never change, buddy…"

Taylor either ignored this comment or didn't hear it, instead he just put his spoon down and raised his arms over his head to stretch and yawn.

Benji walked over and pulled out the orange juice and a glass before settling back next to his dad. He poured himself a glass, his eyes landing on G2 as the woman gently bounced Alice in her arms. The older teen could feel his face go hot and he worked very hard not to choke on his juice. After managing to swallow his juice, he fumbled, "H-Hi G2!"

G2 turned to look up at Benji and smiled warmly at him. "Hello, Benji. How's school going for you? You're almost done with high school, am I right?"

Benji felt his face go hotter as he nodded, nervously running a hand through his messy blonde hair. "Y-yeah. I'm graduating this fall."

"You mean this spring, dear" corrected Evie as she started making some coffee.

Benji's eyebrows knit together "What did I say?"

No one answered him, instead Gadget spoke up. "Well, we had best be off. We just wanted to drop off Taylor's keys before we went out today. Evie, I knew you have a set, but I didn't want to risk the chance of Taylor getting stuck outside again."

G2 chuckled, much to Benji's delight. "Yes, we wouldn't want Taylor to freak out and dig a hole in the flower bushes again after forgetting about the spare key."

Taylor simply turned his head to her and stuck out his tongue at her quip. Gadget gently patted his friend on the back. "Have a good day, everyone!" he bid them farewell.

Benji's eyes stayed focused on G2 until he could see her no more thanks to the confines of the mansion. He sighed, unable to hold back a pout. Evie noticed his pout and cocked her head to the side. "Something wrong?"

Benji looked up at her, needing a moment to consider her question before saying, "No….It's nothing…" He watched as his dad grabbed his carton of orange juice and poured it over his cereal instead of the milk.

Evie didn't look convinced. She looked more closely at him. "Your face is a bit red, are you feeling alright?" She moved her hand to check his forehead but Benji pulled away and in his trouble, slipped on his sweat pants and fell to the floor. "Benji!" cried out Evie in worry. She pulled her night gown closer to herself before leaning down to see if he was alright.

Benji quickly pulled himself up, looking flustered. "I'm okay!" he announced.

Taylor looked at him, looking slightly more awake. "Did you fall?"

Benji nodded as Taylor reached a hand up and affectionately pushed some of his son's blonde hair behind his ear. "Yeah. Yeah, I did." He swallowed thickly.

Taylor turned to his girlfriend, "Evie, sweetie?"

"Yes?"

He leaned over the kitchen bar as best he could to show he wanted a kiss. She giggled and gave him one. Once the kiss broke she said, "I'll be in the bedroom if you need me." Taylor nodded and watched as she left the room.

Benji sighed, not knowing what to do with himself. He knew he had acted silly when G2 had been around, but he couldn't help it! That's how he always felt when she was around. His face would grow hot and suddenly he wouldn't be able to manage a sentence without stuttering. He glanced at his sleepy dad, figuring if anyone could help it was probably him.

He awkwardly moved to the other side where there was an empty bar stool and sat to Taylor's left. He stared at the counter before him, having no idea how to start the conversation. Taylor, on the other hand, was just staring off into space as he tried to wake himself up.

After what seemed like an eternity, Benji finally got the courage to speak up. "Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"I—uh….I've been…..feeling a little funny lately…"

Taylor pulled out of his stare and looked to his son. "You okay?"

Benji nodded. "I think so…..Umm…..I actually think…..well….maybe….I think I have a crush on someone…"

Taylor's entire persona changed immediately. The blonde haired cyborg went from looking half dead to bright and energized. He practically bounced in his seat as he angled himself a bit more towards Benji. "Really?!" he asked excitedly.

Benji stared at him with wide eyes, nodding numbly.

Taylor started laughing as he placed a hand on his son's shoulders. "Oh, this is fantastic! My little boy all grown up and already set for the ladies!"

Benji turned bright red at this as he gently shook his head. "N-No…..Not really, dad…"

Taylor shook his head in denial; not listening. "It's okay, Benji! No need to be shy! The ladies will be coming straight to you anyways!"

"W-What?"

"Please! You inherited my good looks! Sure, you don't have any man metal….." he paused and considered the thought for a moment. "….Yet…But the ladies will still be all over you! They would be crazy not to want you!" He pulled his son closer and affectionately ruffled his hair.

"Man metal-?" Benji sighed. "Daaaad….I'm not getting any man metal!"

Taylor frowned at this. "Why not? It's great!"

Benji shrugged the best way he could with his father's arm around him. He tried to think of the best words. "Um-Mom would kill me—for starters—and she's always told me it's only for emergencies!"

Taylor sighed, having heard the same thing from Lula. Why didn't anyone understand the wonders of being a cyborg? "Alright, alright…..But the ladies will still be all over you!" He smiled fondly at Benji. "So….what girl do you have a crush on? Anyone I know? A girl from school maybe?"

Benji's ears turned pink this time along with his face as he ducked his head. "Uh….Yeah, you definitely know her…"

Taylor cocked his head to one side curiously, grabbing his spoon and preparing to eat some of his orange juice cereal. "Who then?" he took a bite from his cereal and his eyes went wide immediately. He fought the urge to spit it out and painfully swallowed it. He gasped as he stared at his bowl. "How did orange juice get in there?" Benji just shrugged. "Sorry, you were saying? I know her?"

Benji nodded. "Umm….I…" Benji mumbled the rest of his sentence so quietly that Taylor didn't hear him.

"What was that?"

Benji repeated himself, yet no louder than before.

Taylor sighed. "Benji, you have to speak up, you're making me feel old!" he shuddered at the thought. He just had to remind himself that he was only thirty even if he did have an eighteen year old son. He still didn't fully understand how that worked out, but Lula assured him not to worry about it; therefore he didn't.

"I have a crush on G2!" Benji blurted out. He went silent.

Taylor stared at him for several long moments, registering what his son just said. After a while though, a smile appeared on his face. "She IS pretty, isn't she?"

Benji nodded, not meeting Taylor's gaze.

"Can't really say I blame you" grinned Taylor. He grimaced though. "She's a sweetheart, but I warn you now, Benji, she doesn't want any more kids and she doesn't want to get re-married, which is why I ended things with her to begin with." He hated to think about that break up; it had been one of the worst days of his life.

Benji blinked at his words. "Well—That's okay, though, right? Because…." Taylor waited for him to continue. "Well-Dad, I'm only eighteen! I don't WANT to get married and I don't want kids!"

Taylor nodded, though he didn't like hearing that. He wanted to see his son married and with kids someday. "But….someday you do, right?"

Benji shrugged. "Well-I don't know. Maybe? Dad, I'm not even thinking of stuff like that yet. And if I do, then I can break things off with her. Or who knows? Maybe she'll change her mind by the time I'm ready. Just because she didn't want kids with you-doesn't mean she won't with me—"

Had Taylor not been happily in love with Evie, those words would have stung, but he was happy and all he wanted was for Benji to be happy too. He nodded. "That is a good point…."

The two of them sat there in silence for several minutes before Taylor broke it. "So, when are you going to tell her?"

"What?"

"Tell her you like her."

"I can't tell her!"

"Why not?" laughed Taylor, bemused.

"I-She-I don't know!"

Taylor pulled his son closer so that their heads were up against each other. "Don't worry, Benji, you're good ol' dad is here for you all the way!"

Benji smiled, feeling better knowing someone knew about his crush and that his dad was okay about it. He always knew his dad was going to be best of them all.

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Author's Note: awww, cute tender moments between father and son. I loved writing this one. And I left it open-ended in case I ever decide to work more into it. Perhaps a chapter about Benji telling G2 of his feelings. It could happen! Enjoy!


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'.

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"Rings"

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"What can do for you fine gentlemen?" greeted the man behind the glass counter that was filled with diamonds, gold, and silver. The man who had just spoken was tall with dark hair and looked to be in his late sixties. Obviously he has been working this job for many years as he admired the jewels before him with an almost fatherly care.

The two men he had just addressed were none other than Inspector Gadget and his Deputy, Taylor Braydon. The two of them walked into the jewelry store with warm smiles. Gadget took off his hat and nodded to the man in respect before placing it back on his head.

"Well, sir, my friend here is in need of a ring. An wedding ring to be exact" answered Gadget, for Taylor was too busy admiring what was inside the glass case before them. He placed a hand on Taylor's shoulder as he watched the blonde man move closer to the display. Taylor snapped back up in response and looked to Gadget curiously. Quietly, the inspector said to him, "Remember what we agreed on?"

Taylor nodded, a slight frown on his face. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be careful…." He grumbled.

Gadget nodded with satisfaction.

In the meantime, the man behind the counter had been looking around at the display and was now signaling them to move over to a particular part of the store. They were now away from the first initial case of jewels one saw when they first walked in and towards the back of the store. "Over here, gentlemen, you will find out selection of wedding rings" the man began, clearly having said this hundreds of times in the past. He pulled out a brochure that was standing on the display case for customers to glance through. "If you would take a moment to glance through this, this shows our selections of cuts and fitted rings—if you interested—we can also do engravings."

"Engravings?" asked Taylor curiously as he turned to the older man.

The older man nodded, placing his hands before him politely. "Yes, sir. If you wish anything to be engraved inside the ring. It is a new thing for couples to have their names engraved inside the ring. Or perhaps a date for either their anniversary, or the day they met, or the day they plan to marry. You get the general idea."

Gadget watched Taylor expectantly as he stared down at the rings in the case and he knew his friend well. He could practically see the wheels in his friend's mind turning and he was quick to diminish the process. "Forget it! You don't need that! You said you wanted to go simple, yeah?"

Taylor nodded. "Yeah…." He said almost reluctantly. He gave Gadget an almost pleading look. "But I want it to be nice. I want it to be meaningful and special. Evie means the world to me and I want her to know that!"

Gadget nodded, understanding the sentiment entirely, but his friend needed to realize he didn't need to capture the moon and the stars to confess his love to Evie. Simplicity was the way to go. Evie was not a materialistic woman in the least and it would mean just as much to her if Taylor gave her a simple gold ring instead of a studded, engraved, expensive ring.

Sadly, when it came to money, Taylor was very aware he had more than enough of it and was never afraid to spend it overly much.

The gentlemen beside them just waited patiently for them to decide.

"Taylor, no matter what you give her, she will know just how much she means to you" argued Gadget.

Taylor fought the urge to roll his eyes, having heard this from his friend before and continued to look through the selection of rings. While Taylor looked, Gadget moved over to stand next to the jeweler. The older man turned to Gadget. "So, when does he plan to pop the question to her?"

Gadget, his eyes never leaving Taylor, replied, "Oh, he's already asked her." He didn't have to be looking at the man to know he was being stared at. He tore his gaze from his friend and looked to the man, knowing he would have to explain. "He…uh….jumped the gun a bit….after returning home from a….trip…" He chuckled on the inside, knowing the man could never know exactly where Taylor had gone. No one would ever believe his trip had been in back in time. "When he got back, the moment he laid eye on her he asked her. So, he's doing things a bit out of order… He's been planning this for a while, but he never did settle on a ring. So, here we are now."

"Ahh, I see" nodded the man with a smile. "It's nice though. These days everyone seems to be doing things so differently than how they were done back in my time. And what scares me more than ever now is how much younger the customers are getting and coming in to ask for wedding rings, engagement rings, and promise rings, no less!"

Gadget nodded sadly, knowing it was true. The conversation then died between them and as Gadget glanced around the store, he wasn't able to fight back the nerves that were slowly riding up through his cybernetic body. He never liked being in places so delicate as thing. One tiny glitch and he would have a debt to pay that was three times his house pay.

Taylor, meanwhile, was going down the long glass case, eyeing everything he could and glanced up to see a long delicate diamond necklace sitting on the glass counter and displayed on a velvet neck piece. He admired the shimmer the diamonds made in the lighting. He smiled at it, wondering what the necklace would look like if his Evie were to wear it.

He gently raised a hand to touch one of the diamonds, loving the shine of it. The shimmer danced in the light as he gently moved it back and forth. It really was a beautiful piece of jewelry. Though, as his memory served him, Evie was really not the type to wear such fine jewelry, even when he took her out on dates to fancy restaurants. Evie was more of a casual woman who liked the simple things in life. Hence the reason Gadget gave him the advice he did earlier about keeping things simple.

It was hard for him to do so, though. Mainly because every time he pictured himself buying something for the love of his life, he pictured going over the top and making Evie feel like a princess in a fairy tale. A princess who was about to meet her prince and his lovely amour of 'man metal'. Taylor grinned goofily as his mind turned to more lewd fantasies which he was quickly able to shake off. Now was not the time to think such things.

Yet while he had been in deep thought, his fingers still holding one of the many large diamonds on the necklace, he had grasped it a little too hard; once again forgetting his own strength now that his hands were cybernetic. The diamond, which was roughly the size of a dime, broke in half and the deputy turned school teacher was now holding a piece of broken diamond.

With a silent gasp, Taylor's eyes widened as it dawned on him just what had happened; the piece of diamond now sitting innocently in the palm of his hand. Trying not to look freaked out and panicked, he glanced over at Gadget and the jeweler and found to his utter relief that they had not noticed his mishap. The jeweler was now fixing some of the brochures on the counter and Gadget was admiring some of the rings himself.

Taylor bit back a groan as he felt his anxiety level increase. He looked to the necklace to see where the diamond piece of broken off and found it immediately. It was hard not to notice on the necklace, since now there was a gaping hole on the one side of it. He took the diamond piece and tried putting it back together; noting that it made a perfect fit, yet there was nothing that was keeping it together.

Taylor took his index fingertip and wetted it quickly with his tongue, making sure to glance at Gadget and the jeweler and be sure they hadn't noticed yet.

He was still safe.

After having wetted his finger, he tried using his saliva as glue and hoped it would be enough to keep the pieces together.

No such luck.

Before Taylor could figure out anything else to try, he saw out of the corner of his eyes as Gadget walked up next to him. He quickly straightened and took a step back from the now broken necklace and smiled nervously at his friend; the piece of diamond now hiding in his clenched hand.

Oblivious to Taylor's problem, he said, "Finding anything you like?"

Taylor, his mind too busy on the broken necklace, just shrugged his shoulders stiffly. "They're all very nice…" he managed without sounding too worked up.

Gadget frowned at this. "Really? I figured you would have thought these ones too plain looking. I'm surprised you haven't found and picked out the most expensive ring here." Though the inspector laughed for good measure, trying to lighten the mood.

Taylor couldn't help but agree; the rings before him were a bit dull looking in his opinion and nothing worth Evie's attention, but having the diamond in his hand was keeping from thinking too much over it. He just wanted to get out of there. "W-well, you said to simple, didn't you?" He winced when he heard himself stutter and hoped Gadget wouldn't catch it.

Gadget nodded; a smile of praise on his face. "I did" he agreed. "I'm happy you want to take my advice. You won't regret it."

Taylor could feel his palm start to get sweaty. He felt his nerves grow even more when the jeweler walked over to them from the other side of the case and prayed the old man wouldn't notice the now ruined necklace.

All Taylor wanted to do was get out of there before anyone realized he had broken the necklace. This was not going at all how he had hoped or planned. Everything was now ruined before of him clumsiness! He was too wrapped up in his guilt to even think about finding a ring for his Evie and all he wanted to do was get out there.

Gadget seemed to have noticed his friend's discomfort, though he saw it more as wedding nerves than nerves in general. He wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders, unaware that Taylor was desperately keeping his one hand away from him. "Taylor, relax. Everything is fine. I know, getting married if a big step, but you've been married before. You've walked down the aisle before. Now this time, you'll be with the love of your life! And don't worry so much about trying to make Evie happy. You already make her happy just by being you!"

Taylor smiled at his words, though he knew that wasn't the case of his nerves. He knew all that, but at this moment, it certainly didn't make him feel any better. "I'm really not seeing anything I like in here, Gadget."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You've barely looked at them, though, Taylor. We just got here. Isn't there at least one you want to see up close?"

Taylor squirmed in his spot. "Not really…." He was about to turn and leave when a sparkle from one of the rings below him caught his eye in the light. He glanced down at the ring sitting in the middle of the display and his eyes brightened considerably.

It was beautiful.

There, sitting in the midst of all the rings, sat a small, golden band with three stones on it. Two of them were white diamonds while the one in the middle was a blue sapphire. It was simple, elegant, and breathtaking all at the same time. There was no fancy engravings to it, no double band, no swirls of silver or gold, no elaborate detail work. Just a golden band with three stones placed perfectly on it.

As though Taylor wasn't already ensnared by the beauty of it, his eyes glanced down to see the name of this particular ring and his heart felt like it had burst from his chest.

It sealed his decision: He had to give this ring to his Evie.

'The Beloved Eve'

That was the name of the ring.

Taylor completely forgot about the diamond in his hand and dropped it to the floor carelessly, no longer caring. He placed both hands on the case and stared.

Gadget, seeing his fascination, looked down at the case, wondering which one had caught his friend's eye. "Do you see one, Taylor?"

Taylor nodded mutely. "Yes…" he breathed. He pointed to the Beloved Eve. "That one! I have to get it! It's perfect, Gadget! Absolutely perfect! I don't care how much it is, I have to give that ring to my Evie!"

Gadget followed Taylor's finger down to the display and found the ring he was speaking so highly about. He smiled when he saw the ring. It was beautiful. It was simple too. Nothing elaborate.

Gadget nodded. "It's a wonderful ring, Taylor" he told his friend. He glanced up at the jeweler and pointed at the ring. "May we see that one?"

The older man nodded and brought the ring out of the case. Taylor took hold of the little treasure and smiled warmly at it, imagining placing it on his future wife's slender finger. He nodded to the jeweler. "I'll take it!" he declared. He handed it back over to the man so that he could wrap it up and place it in a box.

As he did so, he told them, "You really did pick a nice ring. 'Beloved Eve' its called."

Taylor nodded. "I saw that. It's perfect. My fiancés name is Evie. I sometimes call her Eve for short…..in more….intimate times…"

Gadget elbowed him gently in the side, making sure Taylor didn't start babbling about anything inappropriate. Taylor nodded his way, knowing not to. The jeweler though, didn't notice. He simply smiled. "Oh, how wonderful!"

It was about ten minutes later, after Taylor had paid for the ring and it was tucked safely in a box and inside a bag and they were walking towards the exit did the jeweler finally notice the broken necklace. "Hey! What happened to the diamond on the necklace?!" he demanded to no one in particular.

Having heard his outburst, Taylor started pushing a baffled Gadget faster and faster out of the store before the jeweler was able to put two and two together.

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Author's Note: Well, this is how I pictured Taylor finding Evie's wedding ring. I came up with the name 'The Beloved Eve' because I thought it would be cute and special to have a ring name similar to Evie's name. :)


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Evie, and Benji belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'.

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"Playing Nurse"

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"I don't feel very good, sweetie…" whimpered Evie as she rolled over to face her husband. Two months ago, the two of them had gotten married and now she lived happily with her husband in his mansion in Cyborg City. She turned to him, the white silk sheets curled around her, and curled closer to him as he lay there beside him. Taylor Braydon blinked his blue eyes several times, trying his best to wake himself up. For the last twenty minutes he had been trying to do that.

He looked down at her since he was sitting up and lying against the big fluffy pillows he loved so much. He pulled her closer as she rested her head against his bare chest. Taylor frowned sadly at her, running a hand through her shoulder length hair. "What's wrong? Does your stomach hurt?"

Evie nodded slowly. "Yeah…and I feel dizzy and my hot and cold at the same time. Taylor, sweetie…I think I have the flu…."

Taylor's frown deepened and though he wanted to be supportive for her, he couldn't help but say the words: "You better not get ME sick then…."

"Taylor…" wailed Evie.

This got Taylor going. He nodded briskly. "Okay, okay! Shhh, it's okay! Sorry!" He leaned down and kissed her on the top of the head, brushing her bangs away from her forehead. "You'll be okay, sweetie! Just stay in bed today! Thank goodness it's a Saturday, so we don't have to be at the school!"

Evie nodded; quite grateful herself. She loved teaching the kids, but she knew she would never be able to handle them if she had to teach them while feeling this sick. She felt as though her insides were twisting every other which way and she felt nauseous and dizzy. She didn't want to think about standing up, let along going to teach little kids.

Taylor slowly started trying to slide his way from under her and stand up. "Well, don't you worry love…I'll—"

Taylor didn't have the chance to finish speaking for Evie suddenly jumped up, her eyes wide, her face pale, and a hand covering her mouth. She climbed over Taylor, who was still half off the bed and bolted out of the room and to the bathroom on the other side of the hall. Taylor simply stared after her, worry now gripping his heart; this was serious. He chased after her, only dressed in navy blue boxing shorts and found her kneeling in front of the toilet and throwing up all the contents of her stomach. It broke his heart to see her this way.

"Aww, sweetie…" he crooned once he saw that tears were coming from her eyes. Evie sniffed and coughed a bit, clearing her throat. A little more vomit came up, which she quickly spilled into the toilet. He knelt down beside her and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "Shh, it's okay. I'm here…. I'll help make the bad stuff go away…"

Evie couldn't help but smile. That was such a Taylor thing to say. She wiped away from of her tears while Taylor grabbed some toilet paper and wiped her mouth for her. "I feel so awful, Taylor…I'm hot and cold at the same time. I'm so dizzy…..my head is splitting….my eyes go blurry….my throat feels tight and restricted…."

Taylor just pulled her close and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder as they both sat there and rested on the bathroom floor. "How long have you been feeling this way?"

"Well, earlier this week I had that sore throat, remember?"

"Vividly" replied Taylor tonelessly. "I wasn't able to kiss you for days. I didn't like it…"

Evie nodded, remembering how Taylor had pouted every time he wanted to kiss her and couldn't. "Well….My sore throat went away, but I never really felt 100% better after that. I just figured I was still recovering, but then….I woke up this morning….feeling like this…." A few more tears came and she sniffled.

Taylor pulled her even closer if possible. "Well, don't worry" he tried to tell her brightly. "I'll help you feel better." He started helping her up and flushed the toilet with a quick flick of the wrist. "Now, you just go and rest in bed and get some sleep, okay? I'll take good care of you!"

Evie smiled as he led her back into their bedroom and helped her into the bed. She fluffed her pillows for her as she settled under the covers and kissed her gently between the eyes before turning off the light. "Get better soon, baby…" Evie nodded and blew him a kiss before settling into what she hoped would be a peaceful sleep.

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With pursed lips and a troubled expression, Taylor stared at the puzzle before him.

The stove.

It would forever be a mystery to him. He glanced over at his eighteen year old son, Benji, to see what he thought about the matter, placing a hand under his chin in thought. "Well, what do you think?"

"Can you cook?"

"I can make a mean Mac and Cheese, if that counts…"

Benji nodded. "Yeah, I guess that counts. I mean, you do use the stove when you cook that."

Taylor nodded in agreement.

"So what are we going to make for her?"

Taylor took in a deep breath. After having set Evie to bed, he knew he wanted to do something nice for her. He figured after having thrown up, she would be hungry by the time she woke up. Though he doubted she was really sleeping; the last few nights she'd been tossing and turning. He doubted feeling that sick would make her sleep any better.

Both men were standing in the kitchen, both wearing baggy t-shirts and sweat pants. Save for the obvious age difference, one would think they were twins.

"I don't know…." Sighed Taylor dejectedly as his shoulders sagged.

"Bacon and eggs, maybe?"

Taylor thought about it for a moment. "We could…." He paused before adding. "Do you know how to get all that started?"

Benji simply blinked at his father.

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10 Minutes Later

Taylor slammed the cupboard shut after having pulled out the pans. "Here they are!" he announced happily. Benji grinned as Taylor placed the pans on the stove. Benji went to the fridge and pulled out the eggs and bacon and set them on the counter. "Do we need butter?"

"What for?"

Benji thought it over for a minute. "Well, I've always seen mom put a little bit of butter in the pan before she put the eggs in. And then she sprays something on the pan of bacon. I think it's used so that the food doesn't stick…"

Taylor gave him a mystified expression. "That makes sense….But…One problem…."

"Hmm?"

"I have no idea where or what that stuff is she uses."

"Oh...Yeah….me neither..."

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10 Minutes Later

"Alright, try this!" cried out Taylor.

The bacon sizzled in the pan while the eggs slowly started to solidify into fluffy scrambled eggs. The two of them had managed to figure out what temperature to put the stove on for them to cook, mainly thanks to Benji's good memory of watching Lula cook and they were now waiting for them to finish cooking.

Yet instead of carefully watching the bacon and being sure to turn the pieces over at the correct times so that they didn't burn, both of them were investing their attention to the wet tissue paper that was now sticking to the ceiling of the kitchen.

This also meant that they were oblivious to the forgotten dish towel that was now slowly catching fire after being left too close to one of the grills of the stove.

"Hey, nice shot, dad!" laughed Benji after tossing another ball of wet tissue paper up to the ceiling.

"Okay, so…..What's the score…..3 to 4? My lead?"

"MY lead" corrected Benji.

Taylor snorted. "Okay…..Whatever…" he smiled and tossed another wet tissue up to the ceiling.

Benji was about to toss another one up in the air when he sniffed the air and made a face. "Ugh….dad?"

"Hmm?" Taylor tossed another wet ball up to the ceiling and watched it stay there.

"Do you smell something burning?"

Father and son both looked to the stove at the same time and both freaked out in the exact way. They forgot about their game of Sticky-Ons and headed straight for the stove. The dish towel was now burning and a small fire had started. Thankfully the dish towel was the only thing that was on fire, but it didn't make the two men feel any less worried or alarmed.

Benji was quick to turn down the stove while Taylor nervously picked up the dish towel that wasn't on fire. He picked at it; dropped it. Picked at it; dropped it. "Ahh!" he squeaked, not wanting to be burned. He just continued trying to pick it up and move it along the counter top; closer and closer to the sink. One last toss and the burning dish towel was now in the metal sink. Taylor quickly turned the water on and watched as smoke rose from towel. The towel was blackened and forever ruined.

Benji, having taken care of the stove, glanced over Taylor's shoulder. "Were those towels special or anything?"

Taylor shrugged. "It went with a set."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…It was a wedding gift…"

"Think Evie will notice this one is gone?"

"I sure hope not…"

Benji then turned back over to the stove. He had set it on a lower temperature. He looked at the eggs. "Ummm…..dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Are eggs supposed to be brown like that?"

Taylor looked down at the pile of scrambled eggs now sitting in the pan. Benji picked at them with a spatula. "….No…"

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5 Minutes Later

"The bacon looks like cardboard…"

"It's fine! They needed to be cooked like that! It burned off all the fat! You think I want my Evie eating fat?! No! She'll lose her pretty figure that way…."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, I'm sure!"

Benji followed Taylor up the stairs and into the bedroom where Evie was trying to rest; Taylor holding the tray of food, while Benji carried a glass of orange juice. Taylor had guessed right; she hadn't been able to sleep. She had been too busy tossing and turning and trying to ignore the nausea that was currently running through her stomach. She smiled weakly as she watched her two favorite boys walk into the bedroom.

"Hi, boys…..You haven't been getting into trouble down there, have you?" she teased lightly. They could both see sheen of sweat on her forehead.

Benji and Taylor exchanged a glance before both shaking their head. "No" they said in unison.

Evie wasn't too sure she believed them, but her attention went to the tray of food in Taylor's arms. "Oh, you made something for me?" she gushed. "You're too sweet!" She smiled happily as Taylor placed the tray down in her lap. Her smile quickly vanished though, once she saw the state of the food. Both eggs and bacon were overly burnt. Benji then put the orange juice down on the tray. Evie chuckled nervously. "Aww, thank you boys…." She took a sip of the orange juice, knowing that would be safe. "But…I'm not really hungry…." She started pushing away the tray. "Actually….I have to go to the bathroom."

Taylor, frowning since she wasn't going to eat his burnt food, took the tray away and placed it on the bedside table. He watched as she got up and walked out of the room.

Once they were alone, Benji whispered into his ear, "I told you they were burnt!"

Taylor simply stuck his tongue out at him.

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10 Minutes Later

"Evie….Baby?" called Taylor as he knocked on the bathroom door. He glanced worriedly to Benji before turning back to the door and knocking once more. "Evie, babe…you've been in there an awful long time and you're starting to worry me…."

The blonde man fidgeted nervously as he stood out there. He had considered just walking in, but he knew his wife appreciated it when he gave her privacy. He fought the urge to open the door. "Evie?"

After another painstakingly long minute went by, Taylor wasn't able to handle it anymore.

"Dad, is she okay?" questioned Benji.

"I don't know!" grumbled Taylor miserably. Louder he said, "Evie, I'm coming in!" He twisted the door knob and burst in. Benji stayed where he was out in the hall as Taylor shut the door behind him.

Evie was standing in the middle of the bathroom, her back facing him. She seemed to be staring intently at something in her trembling hands. Taylor cautiously stepped forward. "Evie…?"

Evie had heard Taylor come in, but she couldn't get herself to move or respond. All she could do was keep staring at it. Taylor looked over her shoulder and saw what it was she was holding. "Hey, why does that little stick say Positive?"

Evie jumped at his question and finally snapped out of her thoughts. She turned to Taylor and looked deeply into her eyes. It all made sense now. She tried to think of the best way to explain it to him. She turned around and faced him. "Taylor…..darling….This is a pregnancy test…."

Taylor nodded slowly, not fully grasping what she was saying. "Yeah? So what does it mean by positive…?" He paused and Evie waited for him to figure it out for himself. She could see his mind working it out and she smiled when Taylor's face lit up happily. "W-Wait a second…." He pointed to the pregnancy test in her hand. "That's a pregnancy test…."

Evie laughed and nodded.

"A-And….and it says it's positive…."

Evie's grin widened and she laughed a little more. "Yes…"

"So….." Taylor trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. He felt so light headed and happy all of his sudden. He quickly sat down on the edge of the bath tub, grabbing hold of Evie's hand and having her sit beside him. "Oh my God….." He turned to his wife and looked at her in the eyes. "That means…." His eyes slid down to her stomach. He gave a squeak of happiness before taking gentle hands and touching her stomach. "Oh…..Another Taylor Junior…..You have a little Taylor Junior inside of you!"

Evie laughed at his words and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. Taylor easily slid over, closing the gap between them. Her kissed her stomach before leaning up and kissing her lips. The two of them kissed for several minutes before they broke apart.

"That's why I was sick! It all makes sense now! I didn't even think about it until I came in here to the bathroom. It occurred to me that I still hadn't had my period and after working out the math in my head, I realized I was late. I was able to put two and two together and after seeing the result of the test…Oh, Taylor, we're gonna have a baby!" she squealed happily, hugging him tightly. Taylor held her close and rested her head on his shoulder. He was so happy.

Yes, he already had a son, but he had never been able to watch Benji be born and help raise him. He hadn't been around when Benji had been born and growing up. That didn't mean he loved Benji any less, but it certainly meant that this time around he would get to be there from the very start.

Speaking of Benji….

Taylor pulled away slightly and called out, "Benji! Come in here!"

Husband and wife watched as Benji slowly and timidly opened the door and poked his head in. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is wonderful! Evie is pregnant! That's why she was so sick!"

Benji smiled, looking excited. "Cool! Does this means I get to have a little brother or sister?!" he asked as he stepped in closer to them.

"It does, Benji, dear" giggled Evie.

Taylor watched as the two of them continued to talk about the baby and figuring out how far along she was. He allowed them to talk and simply watched, enjoying the sight of his loved ones so happy. He was finally getting what he had always wanted. He already had a loveable and goofy son whom he would cherish forever, and now he was going to have another child; with the love of his life.

Just like he'd always wanted….

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Author's Note: SURPIRSE! Yes, it turns out Evie was not just sick….she was having morning sickness! Awww, Benji is getting a sibling and Taylor gets to be a dad again! :D Enjoy!


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Evie belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'. I own nothing.

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"Evie"

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"HEY GAGDET!" shouted Taylor Braydon at the top of his lungs. He was standing in front of Inspector Gadget's house, still standing on the sidewalk with his new girlfriend, Evie. He held her hand tightly as he watched his friend up on the roof.

Gadget, who had been fixing a few tiles on the rooftop of his two story house, jumped in shock and surprise at Taylor's voice, unable to help but lose his grip on the slanted roof. Having been on his hands and knees, Gadget slipped and started sliding down the slanted rooftop with a cry of worry and fear.

Taylor and Evie, safely on the ground, watched in horror as Gadget fell off the side of the house, barely able grab hold of the drain pipes that framed the house. "Ahhh!" he cried out as he dangled along the side of the house, his legs kicking back instinctively. There was a soft click and suddenly his robotic arms were extending from his wrists and causing him to slowly descend down to the ground.

Gadget, wide eyed, and feeling some of pain shooting up his spine, was for once grateful that his gadget arms kicked in like that. He supposed it was far better than actually falling. Once his feet were on the soil in the flowerbeds beside the house, he let go and his arms slowly retracted back to their normal appearance. He studied his hands while Taylor and Evie made their way over. He took a step back, proud of himself that he didn't fall, when suddenly the soil underneath him shifted slightly, causing him to lose his footing. With a yelp, Gadget found himself on his back after a hard thud and covered in soil.

"Gadget! Are you okay?" called over Taylor.

Gadget just continued staring above him, noting that the spouting he had clung to was now bent and would need fixing. He ignored the slight pain he was now feeling from the fall. He stared up at the blue sky above, when suddenly his view was shadowed by Taylor's head as the blonde man walked up to him and leaned over him.

"Hi, Gadget!" he smiled brightly, oblivious to the fact that he had caused his friend to fall. "You really should be more careful when you're up on the roof like that. You fell so easily!"

Gadget closed his eyes and counted to ten before letting out a deep breath. He didn't want to risk the chance of opening his mouth and saying something that would insult his friend. "Hi, Taylor…" he greeted non-enthusiastically.

Taylor offered him a hand, which the inspector happily accepted. The two of them then started brushing off the soil on Gadget's white work shirt. "Gadget, I want you to meet someone!"

Standing a few feet behind Taylor, a woman stood shyly smiling at them. She had shoulder length light brown hair and bright eyes. She gave a small wave. "Hi…"

Now seeing that he had a guest, Gadget straightened himself up and stepped out of the flower bed. "Hello, I'm Inspector Gadget, but you can just call me Gadget."

"I'm Evie…It's nice to finally meet you Gadget. Taylor raves about you all the time…" she smiled and shook his head.

Gadget raised an eyebrow over his now blushing friend. Taylor scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah…." He chuckled a bit before clearing his throat. "We wanted to stop by and say hello. You haven't had the chance to meet Evie yet. She's the other teacher I work with at the school. She's ugh….also my new girlfriend."

Recognition spread over Gadget's expression as he ran a hand distractedly through his hair. "Oh! So, you're working over at the school too? How long have you been there?"

"About two years. I got the job there right after college. I went and got my Master's degree so that I could teach. I love kids" she told him. She turned to Taylor and smiled at him, knowing Taylor had a love for kids as well.

Gadget looked between them, seeing something that he knew his friend had never had before. Taylor had been in love before, sure, and he's been married, but never with the right woman. He could already see that these two really worked well together. It helped all the more that Evie was good with kids and enjoyed them, because he knew his friend would be heartbroken if he were to learn he had ended up with another woman who did not want children.

Taylor then pulled Evie in for a kiss and Gadget looked away out of politeness. He also looked away for he felt an odd feeling in his gut that he didn't quite understand. He ignored it and looked back at them when the kiss ended. "So, would you two like to come in for some coffee? Penny is inside and you can meet her." Evie nodded with a gentle smile. "Just head on in through the front door there." Evie did as she was told and walked through the front door, Taylor and Gadget lagging behind.

Taylor caught hold of Gadget's sleeve, making him stop and turn to him. The blonde school teacher whispered into his friend's ear, "So? What do you think?"

Gadget shrugged. "She seems nice. Pretty too."

Taylor nodded happily, as though he had been hoping for Gadget's praise. "Yeah, she's great! She's so funny too! She loves playing games with me and doesn't at all mind my childish ways! I can do stuff around her that would have had Delia or G2 throwing a fit!" He laughed.

Gadget patted his friend on the shoulder. "That's great, Taylor, I'm happy for you!" he turned to follow Evie into the house, thinking the conversation was over, yet Taylor pulled him. Before he knew what was happening, Taylor had leaned up and kissed Gadget softly on the cheek.

When Taylor pulled away, he smiled. "Thanks, Gadget. You know, for being there for me when I was depressed about breaking up with G2. You were right, I did find another…..better…..girl…"

Still slightly stunned by the kiss, Gadget could only nod. He rubbed the spot where Taylor had kissed him. "I always knew you'd find someone, Taylor….I never doubted it for a moment."

Without another word, the two of them walked inside the house.

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Author's Note: This is just how I pictured Gadget meeting Evie. And yes, a hint of slash! :D Enjoy!


	25. Chapter 25

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Evie, and Benji belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'. I own nothing.

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"Hero – Part 1"

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"Whew! What a day!" exclaimed Evie Braydon as she slowly sat down on the edge of the bed she shared with her husband, Taylor Braydon. As she sat down, she ran a hand over her swelling stomach, grateful to finally be off her feet. She was six months pregnant with twins and she was really starting to show now. She kicked off her shoes and kicked off the mint green cardigan she had been wearing, leaving her in a white tank top.

Taylor Braydon collapsed on the bed beside her, landing on his stomach and stuffing the pillow in his face. Evie regarded his actions with an upraised eyebrow and a smirk. "I agree…. Those kids were hyperactive today…." He rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his elbow, having taken off his jacket and now wearing a dress shirt and pants.

"It's your own fault, sweetie, you were encouraging them!" Evie reminded him.

Taylor rolled his eyes and muttered, "Details….details…" Then after another moment he said louder, "But can you really blame me? They're all so cute and they just wanted to have fun!" He slid over to her so that she could lean down and kiss him.

Evie shook her head, understanding perfectly how much Taylor loved kids. He really was a wonderful teacher and he entertained the children so well, yet when it came to any sort of discipline, he failed miserably. The only times he ever reprimanded a child or scolded them was when they did something that could possibly hurt them. Like running with scissors or trying something dangerous on the playground.

Evie snapped out of her musings when she felt Taylor shift on the bed and before she knew it, his arms were wrapped around her, his chin on her shoulder, as his hands were slinking their way over her stomach; massaging it gently. "Any kicking today?"

She shook her head. "No, they've been quiet. Probably exhausted from all the kicking they did yesterday…." She said this in a tired voice. "But I'm sure they'll start up again after I eat supper. They seem to kick most after I eat supper."

Taylor nodded, pursing his lips a bit. "That's cause you eat by the truck full at dinner! So much food in there, they don't know what to do!"

Evie playfully slapped him on the side of head. "Meanie! Need I remind you, I'm eating for three!"

Taylor leaned beside her so he could get a better look at her. "I thought the doctor said there were only two in there." He pointed to her stomach.

Evie gave him an incredulous look. "I have to eat for myself, Taylor! I make three!" She patted her stomach twice then pointed to herself. "One, two, three!"

Taylor smiled sheepishly at her. "Oh, right…" It was at that moment, their doorbell rang. "That'll be Gadget…He said he was stopping over after he got off work…" He gave Evie a quick kiss on the cheek, before he got up and walked out the door. "You staying up here?" he called back as he walked down the hallway.

"I'll be down in a few!" she called back.

Taylor walked briskly down the steps and he couldn't help but have a grin on his face. He didn't get to see Gadget nearly as much as he used to anymore since he was no longer Gadget's Deputy, so whenever the two of them hung out, which, admittedly, was often, it seemed even more special.

Once Taylor reached the front door, he yanked it open, the wood around the door creaking as he used a bit too much of his cybernetic strength. He flinched and closed his eyes, knowing Evie wouldn't like that in the least. He completely forgot about it a moment later though when he saw Gadget walk up to him.

"Hello" greeted the inspector in his usual attire.

"Hi, Gadget!" smiled Taylor. "Come on in!"

Gadget didn't need to be told twice; he walked into the front door and Taylor shut the door behind him. "So, how was school today?" It was an odd question for him to ask Taylor, for he always felt like he was asking a little kid that same question. Then again, there were times when Taylor did act like a kid, so he supposed that came with the territory.

"Tiring" replied Taylor honestly. "The kids were hyperactive today…."

"What happened? Did you promise to take them to Disney Land again?" teased Gadget, though he knew in the back of his mind that while that was a joke, it might have been true.

Taylor shook his head. "Nahh, nothing like that. They were just excited it was Friday and everything….." The two of them looked up to see Evie walking down the stairs and smiling at them both.

"Hi, Gadget! How are you today?" she greeted happily.

Gadget gave a small wave. "I'm alright. How are you, though? Everything still okay with the babies?" Gadget was known to ask how Evie and the babies were for he knew how important the pregnancy was to Taylor and simply because a woman was pregnant didn't mean it was official, yet being six months along did make it look rather good.

Evie smiled down at her stomach. "They're hungry….but then…what else is new?" she laughed good naturedly and walked around them and entered the kitchen, where she immediately pulled out some ham slices, pickles, grapes, and some sour cream; placing it all on the kitchen counter. Taylor made a face at the odd combinations yet shrugged it off. He had gotten used to his wife's cravings months ago.

Gadget's cell phone suddenly went off and the inspector immediately sug a hand into his trench coat pocket. Meanwhile, Taylor snatched a grape. "Those are mine!" chastised Evie.

Taylor gave her an innocent, wide eyed look as he popped it into his mouth. "You can share!"

"I AM sharing!" was Evie's response as she gestured to her stomach.

"Oh, sure!" groaned Taylor. "You three are ALWAYS ganging up on me! I need to eat too, you know!"

Gadget had found his phone and had answered it, covering up his free ear so that he could listen to the phone better. "Hello, chief? Is that you?" Taylor looked over to see what the problem was; waiting to see why the chief was calling his friend after he had just gotten off work. Gadget continued speaking through the phone. "Wowzers! I'll be right there, chief!" The inspector quickly snapped his phone shut and looked up at his worried friends. "I'm sorry, guys, but I have to go. There's a hostage situation at that small grocery store on Tenth Street!"

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Evie.

Gadget nodded. "Yeah, so….I'll talk to you guys later." The dark haired cyborg turned to the front door and rushed out of it, barely registering the frantic voice of Evie as Taylor followed him to the Gadget Mobile which was parked outside in Taylor's driveway. Being so wrapped up in getting into the Gadget Mobile; being sure not to jump in due to his back, he didn't realize Taylor was buckling himself up in the passenger seat until he had already turned on the car. "Taylor! What are you doing?!"

He turned the key and Gadget Mobile sprung to life. "Hey, G Man, I was just getting' comfy! We just got here! Why are we leavin' so soon?!"

"I'm coming with you!" explained Taylor brightly.

Gadget just stared at him incredulously. "Taylor, you can't! You're not my deputy anymore!"

Taylor forced back a deep frown. "I know, but like you always say: never off duty! Well, that applies to me! Besides, I want to help!"

"G Man, we gotta go! I'm pickin' up all kinds of breakin' news about a hostage situation on the radio, I'm assumin' that's why you're back so soon! We gotta move it!"

"Taylor, get out of the car!" demanded Gadget warningly.

"We gotta go, G Man! No time for arguin'!" The Gadget Mobile took the liberty of revving up its motor.

"Get out, Taylor!"

"No!"

"TAYLOR!" cried Evie in frantic worry and anger from the front doorway. Taylor cringed at the sound and both men turned to her voice. "You get back here right now! You can't go with Gadget, it's too dangerous!" She paused and after seeing that her husband still wasn't moving, she screamed in a furious and threatening tone, "TAYLOR BRAYDON, YOU GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE NOW!"

Knowing that tone of voice very well, Taylor freaked, "Gah, she's using the scary voice! Go, Gadget Mobile! Go Go Go Go!"

"I don't need to be told twice!" chuckled the car as his tires screeched and sent them flying backwards, hurling them around in the car as he back out and turned. A second later the three of them were gone in a flash, the scenery flashing by them and the wind in their faces. Gadget wasn't even the one driving, it was Gadget Mobile, leaving the irate inspector to deal with Taylor.

"I told you not to come!" he hissed over the wind.

"And I told you I wanted to help!" argued the blonde.

"Taylor, this is a hostage situation—You've never dealt with this before! All you're used to is giving people speeding tickets!"

Taylor gave him a sheepish look. "Uh…I've actual never issued one of those out before…"

Gadget shook his head, not caring about the tickets. He didn't want to see his friend in any kind of danger. He had already seen his friend die once and had it not been for Lazarus, he still would be dead. Gadget told himself he would never out Taylor through that again and he had hoped that Taylor had learned his then about being a hero, but it seemed the childish man still thought the idea of being a hero was all about saving the day.

As the Gadget Mobile zoomed by, Gadget sighed and pushed back his frustration. "Alright, fine. But you have to stay next to me the entire time, you got that? You don't do ANYTHING without my permission. Understand?"

Taylor nodded silently.

After several minutes, Gadget Mobile had made it to the scene and several other cop cars were currently parked in front of the small convenience store. Gadget Mobile parked close to the rest of the cars and Gadget and Taylor were out of the car a moment later.

Chief Quimby could be seen in the front with a megaphone, clearly being the one trying to convince the criminals to come out. He turned as Gadget approached and frowned when he saw Taylor. "Good to have you here, Gadget, but what is HE doing here?"

"I'm here to help!" answered Taylor positively.

Quimby sneered at the former deputy. "Help?" he scoffed and shook his head, turning his attention back to Gadget.

"How many are in there, chief?"

"Two criminals and six hostages. I've been trying to negotiate with them, but…little good that's been doing. I've considered sending some of our men in, but I fear that if they see us enter they'll harm the hostages…."

Gadget nodded.

Taylor opened his mouth to speak, "Why don't you try-?"

"Shut it, Braydon" snapped Quimby. "You're not even supposed to be here."

Gadget turned to his friend. "He's right, Taylor. Just let us handle everything, okay? Go sit in the Gadget Mobile."

"But I have an idea-"

"Taylor" insisted Gadget quietly. He placed a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. "Please, I don't want you to get hurt—"

"I won't!"

"Taylor—"

The blonde cyborg sighed and walked over to the Gadget Mobile, yet instead of getting inside, he just stood next to it. Gadget gave him a wan smile before turning back to the crime scene. Taylor stood there with his arms over his chest and pouted. He had an idea that might solve their problem but they wouldn't listen to him. He could be in there right now saving lives, but instead he was being treated like a small child. He glanced at the building and saw where there was possibly a back entrance. Quimby had said that the criminals were expecting them from the front. But what about the back?

He glanced over at Gadget and the other policemen and found that they were preoccupied with the crime scene and figuring things out. He found it amazing that none of them had thought about sneaking around the back. There might have been a reason for this, but Taylor figured it was worth a try.

With his mind made up, Taylor walked around the parked police cars and snuck his way to the back of the building without being noticed. He had considered grabbing a gun before going in, but there was too big of a risk of one of the officers seeing him and blowing his cover. Since the back way was slightly out of their view of sight, he was able to sneak around without problem. He looked around and ignored the trash cans and litter around the back entrance, before finding the right door and pulling it silently open.

Once inside, Taylor shut the door slowly as to not make any sound. He was in the frozen section and he couldn't help but shiver from it. It seemed all the hostages were near the front of the store. Over the aisles he could see several heads.

"So, what are we gonna do, Jack?" asked one of the crooks.

"Leave it to me" hissed the other. "They can't get in otherwise we'll hurt the hostages…And they wouldn't dare hurt us as long as have them. They're just gonna have to give in to our demands."

Taylor frowned heavily at them, his hatred towards them growing by the minute. Who did these men think they were? He could now visibly see the both of them. They both wore dark clothing and one of them wore a red beanie cap. From where he was crouched, he had the perfect angle to shoot them both if he had a gun. He then took note of the frightened hostages. Three women, an older man, and two small boys. Taylor looked at the boys and saw that they were blonde; obviously brothers. It made the half-cyborg think about his own two little twin boys who had yet to be born. He couldn't imagine seeing his boys in such a situation. He had to do something about it. He watched as they boys clung tightly to their mother's legs, cringing in fear and clearly trying their hardest not to cry.

That settled it.

Taylor was not a man who was known for deep thinking. This was certainly one of those moments in which he didn't think. He simply took action; wanting to be a hero for those two young boys who reminded him so much of his own twin sons. He grabbed a can of green beans that was sitting on the shelf next to him, straightened up, and prepared to throw the can in hopes to knocking one of the crooks out. What he was going to do with the other guy once he was seen, he didn't know. Once again, Taylor was not known for deep thinking.

However, the sudden movement caught the one guy's eye. "Hey!" he shouted and raised the gun that was in his hand; aiming for Taylor. Taylor threw the can just as the guy pulled the trigger.

A shot echoed throughout the store.

Chief Quimby and Inspector Gadget gasped at the sound from where they stood outside. "Why are they shooting?!" demanded Quimby.

Inspector Gadget shook his head and looked back at the Gadget Mobile, not wanting to even think of the possibility that they could be shooting the hostages. He glanced at the passenger seat where he was expecting to see Taylor, yet when the inspector realized it was empty, he felt his stomach freeze and his heart plummet to his chest. "Oh, God…."

Inside the store, the man got hit after his bullet missed Taylor and was knocked out by the can of green beans and with one guy left, Taylor decided to simply jump in. The other guy, now aware of Taylor, turned just as the blonde started running for him. His gun went off seconds before Taylor crashed into him; both landing on the floor.

"Get off me!" grunted the criminal from underneath Taylor. Taylor kept him down the best he could but there was a pain in his side that hadn't been there a moment ago. He had been too wrapped up in trying to stop the bad guy to notice before. He struggled with the man below him and grunted in pain when the guy reached up and pulled on his hair until he was being thrown down into the hard floor below them. Stars danced before Taylor's eyes when his head made contact with the floor.

It was at that moment that Quimby and the police decided to take charge and burst into the grocery store. "FREEZE!" they all cried, yet they discovered it wasn't needed; one of the men were knocked out and Taylor was currently dealing with the other. The two twin boys were crying at this point and the hostages were frantic. Police officers quickly escorted them safely out of the store while Quimby walked up to Taylor, pulled him up roughly by the shirt and aimed the gun at the criminal, who froze instantly.

"Move aside, Braydon" huffed Quimby as Taylor swaggered to his feet and used a shelf for support. "I'm not done with you yet." The chief then focused his attention on the criminal. He was furious that Taylor had jumped in and tried to play hero; not to mention interfering with police business

Gadget, meanwhile, had stepped in, his eyes searching for Taylor. His eyes landed on the blonde cyborg and he smiled, happy that his friend was alright, if only a bit shaken. He then reached down and pulled up the other crook Taylor had knocked out with the can. The man was just now waking up.

"Go Go Gadget Handcuffs!" Handcuffs immediately appeared from Gadget's hand as he pulled the man's hands behind his back and handcuffed him. The man just looked blearily back at Gadget, clearly not understanding what was going on. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you—" began Gadget.

Taylor, in the meantime, just watched on, panting slightly. He was glad Gadget was there. Everything would be okay now. Though there was that sharp pain in his side that he couldn't ignore anymore. He slowly looked down at his left side and saw red from his shirt. He brushed a hand against the tender spot and his hand was covered in his own blood.

Oh, right. He had been shot.

With that being the last thought, Taylor's eyes rolled back in his head and he promptly passed out, landing on the floor in a heap.

Gadget had just finished putting the criminal into one of the police cars with a satisfied smirk. "Maybe this will teach you not to mess with the Cyborg City Police Department!"

As the car drove away someone placed a hand on his shoulder. Gadget rolled his eyes, knowing exactly who it was and he wasn't exactly in the mood to speak to him right now. "Listen, Taylor, I'm still mad at you for—"

"Gadget" came Quimby's voice. He didn't sound angry; in fact, he sound sympathetic.

Gadget turned to face the chief. "What's wrong chief?"

Quimby looked slightly distraught, which was an expression found on his face only when something tragic had happened. This caused Gadget's heart to beat faster and heavier in his chest. "It's Taylor…"

Quimby didn't need to say another word; Gadget pushed beside him and was back in the store a moment later. The other criminal was being taken to one of the cars so he pushed past them and several other officers until his eyes landed on Taylor, who was lying on the floor, a small pool of blood forming near his lower stomach. He leaned down next to Taylor, ignoring the two other police officers who were checking him over. He gently shooed them away and pulled Taylor close. "Taylor? Taylor?!" He could see where Taylor had been shot. The inspector closed his eyes tightly, forcing back the tears that were threatening to form. He knew he shouldn't have let Taylor come. He should have forced Taylor out of the car, that way the only part of the Taylor that would have been injured were his feelings and pride. Those were things that could easily heal; not this.

Gadget leaned over Taylor so that his face was close to Taylor's forehead. "Don't worry, buddy" he whispered assuringly, for both his and Taylor's sake. "We'll get you healed up in no time." As Gadget pulled Taylor into his arms and lifted him up, he forced back the memories that were threatening to overcome him of when Taylor had been in the hospital after being shot with ACR's weapon the year before. He knew this time was not nearly as bad, but he simply couldn't help it. He held tightly to Taylor until the wails of the ambulance could be heard and they placed him on a stretcher.

Quimby was the one who pushed Gadget into the back of the ambulance once Taylor was safely inside. Gadget gave him a questioning look. "Go on, Gadget. You and I both know its where you want to be. You're off duty anyways, remember?"

Gadget looked at him despondently before saying, "I'm always on duty, sir…"

The doors to the ambulance were shut and they were quickly taken away in hopes to save Taylor's life.

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Dr. Lula Smith ran down the many hallways of the hospital until she was in the Emergency Room where she had just been called for. She had been working on some research when she heard the frantic call of a shooting at a local grocery store. It was not that strange for her to hear such a call, but when she learned that it was Taylor Braydon who was the victim, her heart might as well have stopped beating from the fear and shock.

She burst into the ER and looked at the table Taylor was currently being placed on by fellow doctors and ambulance team. She pushed a sniffling Inspector Gadget out of the way and looked down at Taylor with her own eyes. "What happened?" she demanded, her eyes scanning over the wound. She took her gloved hands and gently but firmly pulled away the cloth from the wound.

Gadget, who seemed to be too worked up to speak, was grateful one of the men from the ambulance answered for him. "Bullet wound. 28 caliber bullet according to Chief Quimby. He was shot while trying to apprehend two criminals. The bullet doesn't appear to have done in too deep and it seems to have just missed his hip bone."

Lula nodded and immediately set to work. Gadget on the other hand, just stayed by Taylor's side as everyone around him bustled around to help. "You idiot…." He mumbled between his stifled sobs. "I told you to stay with Gadget Mobile…." Taylor just lay there with his eyes closed, oblivious to what was going on around him. Gadget leaned down and placed his forehead on Taylor's. "Why can't you just learn that being a hero doesn't mean you rush into things and act brave…." The inspector decided to stay with Taylor until he woke up, knowing sooner or later that would happen and knowing he wanted to be there when it happened.

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Author's Note: Cliffhanger! Yes, this particular idea is so long its best that it's split into two chapters. This idea coming from the minds of both myself and Miss Aline In the next chapter we'll see just how Taylor comes out. Enjoy!


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Evie, and Benji belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'. I own nothing.

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"Hero – Part 2"

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"Gadget!" came the worried and scared tone of Benji Smith as he rushed down the hallway outside the emergency room. Inspector Gadget looked up from where he was sitting on a lone chair in the hallways. Lula had long since kicked him out of the ER, assuring him that Taylor would be just fine. It appeared that the bullet wound was not deadly and that the blonde cyborg would be in pain, but nothing that would affect his life. Benji stopped as he reached Gadget, wiping away some of the tears in his eyes. "I came as soon as I heard!" His face was red and his eyes were puffy.

Gadget nodded as he rubbed at his eyes. They were long since dry, but they still hurt from the tears. "Hey, Benji…" he greeted tiredly.

"How is he?" was Benji's obvious question.

Gadget took in a deep breath, "He's fine. He was awake for a short while, but he didn't say anything, just groaned in pain before blacking out again. Lula….your mom….said he'll be fine. He'll just need some bed rest. She kicked me out of the room. Wouldn't take no for an answer…."

Benji gave out a long sigh of relief. "That's good! I was so worried about him!"

Gadget nodded; his mind deep in thought as he stared into space. "Me too…."

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The first thing Taylor noticed about waking up was that he was in a lot of pain and he didn't like it. He winced before finally opening them up. He could hear a beeping sound to his right and he could tell that he was in some sort of hospital room. His eyes then widened as fear consumed him. The last time he had been laying on a hospital bed and in severe pain was after he had been shot with the ACR weapon. He could remember feeling the unbearable pain that had surged through his body and made him want to scream bloody murder.

Just as the blonde was starting to get worked up and hyperventilate, the door opened and in walked Lula. Taylor immediately felt somewhat better after seeing her. "Lula!"

"You're awake, I see" she commented.

Taylor nodded. "Yeah, I'm awake." In the next moment he was slapped in the face. "OWW!" he grasped the side of his cheek and glared up at her with wide eyes. "Hey! What was that for?! You can't kick a man while he's down!"

Lula placed her hands on her hips. "Do you have ANY idea how worried we've all been?!"

Taylor just blinked at her. "…No…..But I have a feeling you're about to tell me…."

Lula narrowed her eyes at him. "Everyone was worried about you! Poor Benji was in tears when he heard you'd been shot! Gadget was just the same; I finally got him out of here! How I did that, I don't know! You're wife has been a nervous wreck! G2 is over at your house trying to calm her down! She so badly wants to be here but we feared having her here would only upset her more and in her condition that's not a good thing. I just sent Benji over there to get him some air and to play with the kids, who really don't know what is going on! We didn't even know what to tell them! Not to mention ME!"

Taylor thought about that for a moment. "No sympathy from Penny? You didn't mention her. Always had a feeling she didn't like me…..Probably cause I take up too much of Gadget's time. I think she's jealous…"

Lula pinched the bridge of her nose to keep her from exploding at the man before her. "Taylor! You are not listening to me!"

"I AM listening to you and I know for a fact Penny was not on that list of sympathy. Nor was Gadget Mobile….but I already know he doesn't like me…." He sighed dramatically as he ignored the pain the best he could. "I suppose my man metal just can't satisfy everyone…." It was then that it dawned on him. He looked to Lula frantically. "Wait a minute! What happened to me?! Is my man metal okay?!"

Lula sighed. "Now you're finally starting to act like a man who just woke up after being shot!" Taylor just stared at her expectantly. "Your 'man metal' is fine, Taylor! You were shot on your lower side, near your hipbone. Thankfully the bullet didn't go deep enough to affect you anything internally. We checked; no internal bleeding. You synthetic skin took most of the damage and was able to sustain most of the injury."

"Does this mean I have to get more man metal?" inquired Taylor a little to excitedly for Lula's taste.

She shook her head. "No, nothing like that." Taylor visibly slouched at the disappointment. "The bullet hit you in a part of your body where you already have cybernetic skin. That's my point! Because you were shot there, it was not a fatal injury. Had he shot about two inches over and shot you in the stomach, you probably would have died instantly since you have no synthetic skin there and it would have punctured your stomach and you would have died from extensive internal bleeding."

"Ouch…" was all Taylor could say to that.

"Yes, so, you got off lucky" she concluded.

"So…..what now?"

"Well, you're fine and your vitals look good. So, you are going to be placed under strict bed rest."

"Bed rest?" exclaimed Taylor. "I don't even feel any pain!"

"That's because you're jacked up on medication! When that wears off, you'll feel it" snapped Lula seriously.

Taylor considered what she said for a moment. "Is that why I'm slowly starting to feel pain in my side?"

Lula nodded. "Yes, the meds are probably starting to wear off by now."

Taylor groaned. He didn't want to feel any more pain. He had felt enough pain the last time. He laid back in the bed and was only able to think about all that pain he had felt the last time. He had been petrified and all he had wanted was to curl up and die at several points. The pain in his side began to increase the more he thought about it. He gave a dry sob as memories from that time crept in on him. He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't help it. It was like his mind was running on its own like a movie and there was no way to press the Off button. He sobbed as tears came to his eyes and his shoulders started shaking.

Lula, who had preoccupied herself with Taylor's medical file on the desk, heard him sniffling and glanced over at him. She looked over just in time to see the tears start falling down the sides of his face. "Taylor! Shhh, it's okay! Shh! What's wrong? Are you in pain? You shouldn't be in this much pain so quickly!" She rushed over to him and ran a hand through his hair.

Taylor shook his head, his lip quivering as he tried to speak. "I want Gadget! I want Evie!" he managed through his sobs.

Lula nodded, understanding that Taylor would want to be near loved ones. Yet she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness to know that she wasn't enough. She fought back her own emotions and gave him the best smile she could manage. "Evie isn't here, she's still at home with G2. But Gadget is here—he should be just outside the door-"

"Go get him!" demanded Taylor as his sobs grew harder. "I want Gadget!"

Lula backed away from the bed with a nod. "Okay, shh…..I'll go get him…."

Taylor nodded and pulled the sheets of the bed closer to his chest. He looked like a little lost boy who couldn't find his parents. He couldn't help but remember how alone and lost he'd felt for hours at a time, with no one but that strange lady doctor who had been working for the ACR. She had done little to help him feel better, but he knew there hadn't been anything she could do. That machine had been built to slowly kill him; and that's exactly what it did.

The door opened and Gadget swiftly pushed his way in and was at Taylor's bedside in a heartbeat. "Hey…" whispered Gadget gently, sitting on the bed and placing an arm around Taylor. "Shhh….it's okay. Just relax, Taylor….You're safe!"

Taylor grabbed hold of Gadget's trench coat and held onto it tightly. "I'm just scared…"

"Of what?"

"I suddenly can't stop thinking….of when I was in that scary ACR place…"

Gadget's heart broke at his words. Oh, God….He didn't think he was prepared for this. He pulled Taylor closer if that was possible. "Listen, Taylor, don't think about it. It's in the past. That's never going to happen again. THIS is never going to happen again…..Because you're never going to try to be the hero again…."

Taylor sniffled and looked up at him. "What?"

"This is what I tried to warn you about Taylor" explained the inspector. "There's always a price to pay. A hero is not brave or has not suffered by choice—A hero is a man who has been through hell." As he said these words, he imagined the Hell he had gone through when he had been transformed into the cyborg he is now after the first explosion all those years ago.

"I've been through Hell…." Muttered Taylor.

Gadget nodded. "Yes, you have. So why did you go and put yourself through it again?"

Taylor felt like he was talking to a teacher who was scolding him, causing him to look down and fidget with the blankets. "Because….I wanted to be a hero…"

"You already ARE a hero! Taylor—What you did was reckless and careless! You could have died! Being a hero is not about putting themselves in danger and seizing the day to make yourself look good to others! When you CHOOSE to make those actions; you become an ignorant jerk who wants attention…..not a hero…Do you understand me?"

Taylor nodded through his tears. "Yeah…" he didn't sound very convinced though and Gadget leaned down closer to him.

"Why are you still upset?"

"The memories are just scaring me, Gadget! I don't want to think about it anymore, but I can't help it! It was so scary! I was in so much pain!" cried Taylor.

Gadget nodded solemnly and quietly he spoke, "And it feels like you're the only person in the world and that you have to suffer this alone?"

Taylor nodded into Gadget's chest. "Exactly…" he croaked.

Gadget rubbed his arm. "I can assure you, Taylor….you are NOT the only person who's been through that…."

Taylor nodded once more as his tears started to come less. "Thank you, Gadget…." He looked up and kissed Gadget on the jawline since he couldn't reach his cheek. Gadget could feel his face go hot.

"You're welcome, Taylor." He gave Taylor a kiss on the forehead.

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"TAYLOR!" shrieked a frantic Evie. The moment Taylor was through the front door to his mansion, Evie had attacked him with a tight hug as her tears soaked through his shirt.

"Evie, baby!" cooed the blonde as Gadget, Benji, and Lula helped Taylor in through the door. Thanks to the medication, Taylor was a little woozy. He held onto her tightly as Lula and Gadget let him go. After hugging him, Evie pulled away and slapped him hard on the side of the head. "OW! Why do women keep slapping me today?!" Evie was in tears though and he quickly turned his attention back to her as he watched her start to cry. "Ooh, baby! Come here! I'm sorry!"

Evie just pushed him away though. "Come on! You're getting in bed!"

Taylor groaned but said nothing on the matter. He knew there was no point in complaining. Evie dragged him up the stairs and wasn't settled herself until he was tucked safely under the covers of her bed.

"Evie, relax. You shouldn't be doing this, you don't want to overdo yourself" warned Lula politely with a smile. Evie didn't say anything, she just slid herself under the covers and curled herself up next to Taylor.

Benji just moved his way over to the other side and gave his father a long hug before giving one to Evie as well. "I'm just so glad you're okay, dad!" exclaimed the eighteen year old. Taylor patted him on the back.

Gadget and Lula, on the other hand, just stood there and awkwardly watched on. Neither of them would know it, but the two of them were currently wishing that they were in Evie's spot next to Taylor. Both of them wanted Taylor in a different way and neither had a clue as to how to act or deal with it. Gadget scratched the back of his neck, "Where's G2?"

"Right here" replied G2 herself as she walked through the door. She brought in some extra pillows. "Gadget, I just dropped off the kids with Penny. She's at home watching them; otherwise she would be here. She knows how upset you are over Taylor."

Gadget nodded. Taylor couldn't help but think back to what he had said about Penny to Lula. Had to watch the kids, huh? Excuses, he thought to himself. Oh, well. She made Gadget happy and that was all that mattered.

"So…." Began Gadget, hating the awkward silence that seemed to be building between the five of them.

"I'm gonna go now" announced Lula. She turned to Benji and wrapped her arms around him in a hug before kissing him on the cheek. "You're spending the night here, right?" Benji nodded. Lula ran a hand over his head. "Okay, be a good boy and I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed him one last time before turning back to Taylor. The former deputy smiled up at her as they hugged. Evie just pulled herself closer to Taylor after they separated.

It seemed Taylor was the only one who was enjoying the moment since he was getting so much attention. He just smiled up at everyone, wincing every now and then from the pain in his side.

G2 decided to break the ice once Lula was gone. "Who wants some pancakes?"

Taylor and Benji were quick to raise their arms and cry out, "I do!" Though Taylor cried out in pain at the movement.

"Yes, pancakes would be nice…I need to recover and make up for my wounded man metal" he chuckled.

Everyone rolled their eyes. Thanks to the fact that it even hit his man metal, just proved that it wouldn't take nearly as long for Taylor to heal, nor was he in nearly as much pain as he should have been. His synthetic skin was tougher than his regular skin and had protected him from worse damage.

"Benji, would you like to help me make the pancakes?" offered G2 sweetly.

Benji's face immediately turned red. "Umm…yeah, sure…" He glanced to his father and saw him wink at him, which made his face go even more red as he turned and followed G2 out of the room.

Now that Gadget was alone, he slowly walked backwards out the door, nearly colliding into the wall behind him. "I'll….just….leave you two alone…." He was gone a moment later, leaving husband and wife all to themselves.

Taylor sighed and shifted into a more comfortable spot. He looked over at Evie, who was still glaring at him. After what seemed like an eternity to the blonde, Evie finally spoke coldly, "Why did you do that?! Why, Taylor? You almost got killed!"

Taylor lowered his head shamefully. "I know, baby…and I'm sorry…I-I wasn't thinking…"

Evie nodded. "You most certainly WEREN'T thinking! My God, Taylor!" More tears started to form in her eyes as she got worked up again. She covered her mouth to hold back a sob. "When I heard-When I heard what had happened-I-" she couldn't finish, instead just pushed herself closer to Taylor. "I thought you were going to die!"

Taylor pulled her closer to his chest as she sobbed. He felt like crying himself. He should never have made Evie feel this way. He should never have made anyone feel that way; but he did, and all because he did an impulsive thing and didn't think anything through. "Baby, I'm sorry. But I'm still here! You haven't lost me and I promise never to do anything like that ever again! But you have to understand, I did it because two of the hostages were little twin boys!"

Evie froze at his words and looked up at him. "What?"

Taylor nodded. "Yes! Two little twin boys about six years old and they reminded me…." He paused to lean down and kiss her swelling stomach. "…..of the two little boys we're gonna be having….And….I wanted to protect them…..just like I want to protect you and our little boys…"

Evie smiled, truly touched by that. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Oh, Taylor….that's sweet…." Taylor smiled at her, pleased she agreed. Then there was another slap to the face.

"OW!"

"But I STILL never want you doing that again!"

"Okay….." He grunted though a minute later.

"You in pain?"

"Yeah? And the bandages are itchy…."

There was silence as Evie watched Taylor push down the sheets and try pulling off the bandages. "Well, don't pull them off! Lula will get angry!"

Taylor groaned. "But they ITCH! And she's not here anyways!"

"I'M here! And I don't want you to take them off!"

Taylor pouted as he put a hand over his eyes. "But, Evie!" he whined.

"I said no."

"Please?"

"No."

Taylor sighed, knowing this was a battle he wasn't going to win. "…..Fine….Can I have some ice cream then?"

"Of course, sweetie" smiled Evie.

The two of them continued to talk and unknown to either of them, Gadget was out in the hallways, eavesdropping. He didn't like being a snoop, but he couldn't help it. He so badly wanted to be near Taylor, but knew it wasn't right. He just couldn't get that shaken feeling to go away. It was as though he was afraid Taylor would disappear if he went too far away from him. It was then that he heard Taylor shout out, "Gadget!"

Gadget snapped out of his thoughts. He waited a moment before entering so they wouldn't think he had just been standing out there. He smiled at them. "Hey, did you need something?"

"We want ice cream!"

Gadget nodded slowly. "…Ice cream…right…Why do I have the feeling you're going to demand every little thing like a little kid until you're all healed up."

"Because I will" laughed Taylor. "This is what happens when you put me on bed rest! Ow!" he winced from the pain but kept his smile up. "You can have some too if you want!"

"I thought G2 and Benji were making pancakes?" Evie and Taylor exchanged a knowing look before smiling up at Gadget as though they knew something they didn't. "…..What?"

Evie was the one to answer him. "You mean you haven't noticed?"

Gadget shook his head. "Notice what?"

Taylor leaned forward and said, "Benji has a huge crush on G2. So, just leave them alone."

Gadget's eyes widened. He had never even guessed that, though now he supposed that did make sense. "Ohh, alright. Wow…well, G2 would be good for Benji…" Evie and Taylor nodded. "Well…." He trailed off, trying to picture his ex-wife and Benji together. Surprisingly he liked the idea of them two being together. They looked like a cute couple.

"Gadget?" called over Taylor impatiently, snapping the inspector out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"The ice cream?"

Gadget quickly nodded and left the room. He was grateful for the distraction and happily went to go get them ice cream. If he was truly honest with himself, there was nothing in the world Gadget wouldn't do for that man.

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Author's Note: And there is the second half of Hero! I hoped you liked it! Instead of focusing on Taylor's pain of the bullet wound, I decided to focus more on the emotional states of the characters. I hope you liked it! Enjoy!


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Evie, and Benji belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'. I own nothing.

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"Hero – Part 3"

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"So…..I just pour this batter onto the skillet now?" was Benji Smith's question as he cautiously tipped the container of pancake mix over the awaiting skillet. G2 and Benji were in the process of making pancakes in Taylor's kitchen after having claimed they would make everyone some. However, after being in the kitchen alone together for the past ten minutes, both of them had completely forgotten about the healing man and his pregnant wife upstairs in the bedroom.

G2 pushed back some of her dark hair and turned to look at Benji with a gentle smile. "Yeah, just pour it in. But not too—" she stopped in mid-speech as Benji poured too much pancake mix into the skillet, causing it to be one overly large pancake. "—much…" She suppressed a giggle.

Benji blinked at her as he pulled back the container of pancake mix. "Too much?"

G2 nodded. "Yeah…..Don't you see? Now it's one giant pancake."

Benji stared down at the mix that was quickly cooking as he sat down the container. "And….that's a bad thing?"

G2 considered his question and shrugged. "I suppose not. But you just used up most of the batter. Leaving us with only a little left…."

Benji felt his face go hot as G2 reached over across from him and grabbed the batter mix. She was so close to him he didn't know what to do with himself. Benji Smith was a lot like this father in many ways, yet when it came to dealing with women….well, let's just say Benji was far from as confident and suave with them. In fact, he was quite the opposite. He grew nervous any time he was around pretty women, save for family members and friends. Benji had had many long discussions with his father and asking him how to handle these types of situations, yet Taylor's advice only seemed to make him all the more anxious.

G2, unaware of Benji's discomfort, looked to see how much batter was left. She nodded to herself. "Yes, you see? You pretty much used it all up."

"I'm sorry…" muttered Benji as he took a spatula and flipped the pancake. Yet when he did so, it splattered and some of it landed on both of the faces. They both flinched before looking to see the damage.

"Did I get anything on me?" asked G2, checking the blouse she was wearing. Benji looked her over, hoping he was being polite about it, and noticed she had a little bit of batter on her cheek. He scratched the back of his neck nervously, wondering how his dad would handle a situation like this. After a moment, he decided he didn't want to know. "Umm…You—uh….You got some on your…..cheek…" He stuttered and cautiously lifted a hand to her cheek and gently rubbed it off with his thumb.

G2 laughed softly and rubbed her hand over her face after he had gotten it. She couldn't say to herself that she didn't enjoy that. "Thanks..." Her eyes swept over the top of his head. "Umm…you have a bit in your bangs…" Before Benji could reach a hand up to wipe it off, G2 was already running a hand through his bangs and getting it out.

Benji forced himself not to flinch as she did so; nervously tugging on the grey sweatpants he was wearing. He was wearing a navy blue top that said, "Riverton Hospital" on it. It was one of the many shirts he's gotten for working at the hospital with him mom, Lula. "Thanks."

"Anytime…" G2 stared deeply into Benji's blue eyes which reminded her so much of his father's. It was uncanny that the two of them could look so much alike. She did miss being with Taylor quite a bit, along with being with Gadget, yet when she looked into Benji's eyes, she was able to forget her ex-boyfriend and ex-husband and just think of the here and now rather than the past. While Benji looked and acted a lot like Taylor, there was still plenty things about them that made them very different; though they both seemed to share that childish quality she found so endearing.

"G2…?" Benji finally heard himself say.

"Yes?"

Benji forced himself to say the words he's wanted to say for the last twenty minutes. "You're really pretty!" he stammered out quickly.

G2 felt herself blush at his compliment. She opened her mouth to say something when both of them saw movement out of the corner of their eyes. They both looked to their left to see Gadget had walked into the kitchen and stopped at the threshold.

Silence filled the space between the three of them before Gadget finally broke it. "Oh, sorry…" he said quietly before heading over to the fridge. Benji and G2 just watched him. "Taylor wants ice cream…." He explained. The two of them nodded. Gadget opened the fridge and pulled out the large carton of chocolate ice cream. After closing the door, he just stood there awkwardly holding the carton. G2 and Benji just shifted on their feet, neither knowing what to say. It was clear to Gadget that he had walked in on something. He remembered what Taylor and Evie had told him just minutes before about how Benji had a large crush on G2 and he couldn't help but smile at the teen.

The inspector reached over, extending his cybernetic hand in the process, and took out some spoons from the drawer. "I'm….not even gonna bother with bowls…" he told them. Truth was, he just didn't want to spend any more time in the kitchen by walking around them to get the bowls. "I have a feeling they'll eat it all…." He gave them a sheepish smile before casually walking out of the kitchen. "I'll just….leave you two to your…..pancakes…." He shot Benji a knowing smile, which only made the older teen more nervous, before exiting the kitchen altogether.

Gadget hurriedly went back up the stairs where he had left the two love birds, hoping they wouldn't be demanding anything else from the kitchen. He really didn't want to interrupt Benji and G2 any more than he had to. As he walked down the hallway and closer to Taylor and Evie's bedroom, he could hear their conversation drift out into the hallway.

"You wanna see it?" he could hear Taylor ask.

"No!" came Evie's high pitched giggle.

"You know you wanna touch it" goaded Taylor cheekily.

"Taylor!"

"You can rub it too…"

"It'll hurt you!"

Gadget mentally winced and tried to get rid of the mental images that were currently corrupting his brain. Clearly he has been friends with Taylor for far too long, for he knew there was a time when he never would have had such thoughts. Then again…..knowing Taylor….it was possible that his thoughts weren't too far off.

"No….It'll feel good…" continued Taylor. "I'm in pain, sweetie….I need love…"

Gadget stopped in mid-step, debating whether or not to turn around and head back downstairs for a bit. He was really starting to worry if he was eavesdropping on something personal.

"I'll play with it later, Taylor….Not now…" was Evie's reply.

Gadget nearly dropped the ice cream and spoons. This had to end here, "Hey! Did someone order ice cream!" he called to them from the hallway light heartedly to make it seem like he had just gotten there. He hoped his voice didn't give away his embarrassment as he walked into the bedroom; overjoyed to see that the two weren't in the middle of something like he had feared.

Evie and Taylor looked to the door and smiled brightly when Gadget walked in. They were still right where he had left them, curled up cozy under the sheets and resting peacefully against the fluffy white pillows. "Yay! Ice cream!" cried Taylor as he sat up a bit, though he quickly regretted doing so a moment later when a sharp pain from his side.

Evie smiled and shook her head. "I'm glad you came when you did. Taylor keeps wanting me to play with his bullet wound!"

Taylor frowned and turned to her. "It itches!" he defended himself.

Gadget moved closer to the bed to hand Taylor the ice cream, nodding and being grateful they hadn't been talking about what he thought they had been doing. "Ooh, I see..."

Taylor leaned forward to reach for the ice cream and spoons. "Owww!" he whimpered and doubled over, his hands pressing over the bandages, before leaning back into the pillows. A moment later he reached his arms out and beckoned Gadget to come closer. "You have to bring them to me…I can't move…"

Gadget just stared at him for a long minute, analyzing every little detail in his friend's face. Evie just looked between the two of them, not sure what was going on, as Taylor just stared back, as though challenging his cyborg friend. After a long minute, Gadget finally stated: "Faker."

Taylor's eyes went wide, along with Evie's. "How do you know he's faking?!"

Taylor crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah! How do you know I'm faking?"

Gadget smiled politely and handed Evie the ice cream; purposefully ignoring Taylor as his friend leaned up a bit to grab for it. "Well, Evie….You have not known Taylor quite as long as I have…." He was staring Taylor down as he said these words. While his face looked intense and serious, his voice was frivolous. He handed her the spoons before she opened the lid and dug in. Taylor was left to grab his own forgotten spoon. Gadget continued, "I have worked with Taylor on countless cases and I have seen him at his highest and lowest. I KNOW when Taylor is pain….When he's in REAL pain, he's more miserable than he is now and isn't giddy like a little kid like he is now...And me….being the inspector that I am….I notice things….Such as the fact that Taylor tends to use a slightly higher tone of voice when he is lying and he blinks rapidly when he lies too."

At these words, Evie, who had a mouthful of chocolate ice cream, whipped her head around to look at Taylor, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. "THAT'S why you always blink whenever I ask you how I look when I'm trying on clothes?!" She turned to look at Gadget and jabbed a thumb in Taylor's direction. "Every time I ask him how I look in maternity clothes and ask him if I look fat, he'll tell me 'no' and then he blinks like crazy! Is THAT why?!"

Taylor was currently glaring daggers at Gadget. "Ugh, Gadget! Why'd you go and do that for!" he whined.

Gadget looked unfazed by his friend's annoyance. "I'm your friend, not your slave, Taylor. Remember that. When I saw what you did a moment ago, I knew it had to end there."

Taylor kicked his legs under the sheets and crossed his arms over his chest in a huff. "Yes…." He said through gritted teeth. "I WAS lying….I'm really not in that much pain….And…" he glanced over at his wife, his anger being replaced with slight fear. "Yeah…..I DID lie those times…." Before Evie could say anything, he swiftly added "But, only because I was trying to make you happy! You really do look good in those clothes….They just…..make you look fat!"

Evie sighed loudly, dropping the ice cream container and spoon she was holding into her lap. Taylor knew he had to act and act fast, otherwise the water works would start. "Sweetie!" he grabbed her by the hand and kissed it. "It's not your fault! You got two little Taylor Tots in there!" he rubbed a hand over her stomach. Evie found herself unable to stay mad at him as she kissed him on the cheek.

Gadget, who was still standing there, gave them a questioning look as he titled his head slightly. "'Taylor Tots'?"

His previous annoyance towards his friend now completely gone, Taylor turned and smiled widely at Gadget. "Yep! Taylor Tots!"

Evie laughed at Gadget's expression, amused since he wasn't aware of what was going on. "He insists on calling the twins 'Taylor Tots'….from you know, the cooked potato pieces: 'Tator Tots'? It's a kids food. He's calling them that until we come up with their names…."

Gadget was now quite interested and seeing that everyone was back in the clear, he sat at the edge of the bed, waiting for more. Evie picked up the ice cream and spoon and continued eating. Though after a pouty look from her husband, she started spooning him some mouthfuls of ice cream; much to the blonde man's delight. "Honestly, Taylor...You're hopeless!"

She gave him another spoonful as Gadget asked, "So, you guys haven't decided on any names yet?"

Evie shook her head with a light snort. "Ha! Of course not! Not with this big lug trying to name them the most crazy of names!"

Taylor gulped down a mouthful of ice cream before saying indignantly, "There is NOTHING wrong with my baby name suggestions!"

Evie sighed and shook her head again, her eyes rolling. She looked at Gadget seriously, "He wants to name one of the twins Romeo."

Gadget nodded, "Oh, nothing wrong with that."

Evie just gave him a deadpan stare, "Romeo Man Metal Braydon…"

Gadget closed his eyes and hid them with his hand, looking down. "Oh, God….Taylor…"

"What?!" squeaked Taylor. "I think it's cool!"

Evie continued. "He also considered the name 'Amor Plating Braydon' for the other twin."

Gadget just shook his head. "Taylor, you have a serious problem…."

Taylor just looked away impassively. "You two just have no taste…"

"I beg to differ, Taylor…"

"Me, on the other hand, have some more- realistic names…"

"Hey! What about those two other names I offered?! Haydon and Kaydon?!"

Evie gave him an annoyed look. "They rhyme with your last name….." She turned to Gadget. "Hadyon Braydon and Kaydon Braydon. Do you see what I have to put up with here?"

Gadget chuckled at that. "You have my sympathy, Eve" he told her kindly, calling her by nickname.

"You guys are just MEAN!" grumped Taylor as he snatched the ice cream from Evie's hand and started hoarding it to himself. He held the ice cream container possessively close.

"What names have you come up with then?" inquired the dark haired cyborg.

Evie smiled, happily willing to tell him her ideas for the twins' names. "Well, I currently have four names in mind. I'm going to pick from these four: Christopher, Oliver, Thaddeus, and James."

Gadget nodded, liking the names. "I like them. All very nice names and they sound like they'll go good with the last name Braydon." He paused and considered the names for a moment before saying, "Personally, I like Oliver and James the best out of those four…"

Evie nodded. "So do I."

"We should use those names then" said Taylor suddenly as the blonde stared into his lap as though he had been in deep thought.

"What?"

"I wanna name our kids that! Oliver and James! Gadget likes them…..Benji liked them too when we asked for his opinion….It seems everyone is liking them….and since MY ideas won't be used….let's just use those names…" he explained to them, finally meeting his wife's eyes.

"Oliver Braydon and James Braydon" smiled Gadget, testing the names out aloud. "I like them. Maybe Ollie and Jimmy could be their nicknames. " Both soon to be parents nodded happily at that. "You'll have to come up with middle names then…"

"I got it!" crowed Taylor, lifting his spoon up in the air. "Oliver Man Metal Braydon and James Amor Plating Braydon!"

"NO!" cried out Evie and Gadget at the same time.

"Ugh…..!" groaned Taylor irritably. "No fair!" It seemed even after playing 'hero' and being shot and injured he still wouldn't get his way. Perhaps Gadget hadn't been very far off when he said being the 'hero' simply wasn't worth it. He certainly wasn't getting anything out of it!

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Meanwhile, while the three of them continued to discuss baby names, G2 and Benji were downstairs in the kitchen sharing the extra large pancake Benji had accidentally made. The two of them sat across from each other at the little breakfast nook table on the side of the room, both leaning close to the other and playing footsy under the table. They shared a plate and ate from the large pancake was currently swimming in maple syrup.

G2 looked up after eating some of the pancake and noticed the younger man had some syrup on his chin. She took a hand and wiped it off, much to Benji's embarrassment. Benji mumbled a 'sorry' before he continued eating. The android could tell the boy was worked up and she had a feeling it was more than just the hormones currently running wild in his young body. "Benji, you're dad is going to be fine…"

Benji looked up and gave her a shocked expression. "What?"

"He's fine! Lula said he's barely in any pain and his synthetic skin is nearly healed already!"

"Oh….yeah, I know….I just…." He fumbled for the right words and G2 patiently waited for him. "I just recently got him….you know? I waited my whole life to meet him and….when I found out he got shot….I was SO afraid I was going to lose him! And…..I guess I'm just a little in denial that…..he's okay and…that he's not going to be taken away from me…."

G2 nodded; she could understand that. It made perfect sense for Benji to be worried about that. She smiled and placed a hand over his. "I understand…"

Benji smiled back. "Thanks…"

They both looked at each other and neither of them realized they were leaning into each other until their lips met for a brief, gentle kiss. "…..Wowzer…" mumbled Benji, repeating the infamous line Inspector Gadget was known for. G2 laughed and gave him a kiss on the forehead before leaning back into her chair. Benji looked up at her expectantly. "D-Does this mean-?"

G2 shrugged, "It can mean whatever you want it to mean, sweetie…"

Benji smiled and grabbed hold of her hand and the two of them just stayed like that for the rest of the evening, content to be with each other.

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Author's Note: This is the conclusion to "Hero". I decided this last piece would be a nice way to end it. Yes, I pretty much put G2 and Benji together as a couple at the ending there. They're cute! And the baby names are both from Miss Aline and myself. Enjoy!


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Evie belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'. I own nothing. Mindy and Don belong to me.

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"Gemini - Part 1"

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"Ugh….I cannot handle this…."groaned Evie Braydon as she tried for what seemed like the millionth time to get comfortable. She was lying in bed next to her slumbering husband as she tried her best to arch her back in a way that would not kill her spine. She ran a hand over her swelled stomach which carried the two precious babies inside her.

She was wearing her favorite cotton lavender pajamas, with matching top and bottom, yet with the way she was feeling, she wanted to take it all off. The sweat on her skin was making it unbearable. She couldn't get comfortable and every time she felt she was too hot, she took off the covers, and then she would feel too cold! It was a nightmare!

She collapsed on the bed and pillow underneath her with a sigh as she finally decided to give up. She glanced over at Taylor Braydon, who was blissfully unaware of her discomfort as he slept with the covers strewn about and sleeping spread eagle. Usually that was something that would amuse her, only this time, it did nothing to please her. She glanced over top of Taylor and read the clock's red LED digits. It was 6:02 AM. This meant she had to get up in a half hour to start getting ready for school and teach the children. She groaned again; so much for sleep.

Fine. Is she wasn't going to be able to sleep anymore…..Neither will Taylor.

"Taylor!" she hissed into the man's ear. She didn't care if she was acting mean and shellfish. She was 8 months pregnant for goodness sake! She was allowed to be! "Taylor!"

Taylor's face broke out into a large smile. "I know you want my man metal…..but we have school in the morning…."

Evie forced herself not to roll her eyes. That was the last thing she wanted with the way she felt. She rolled onto her side the best way she could with her large stomach and without causing too much strain for the babies. She flicked Taylor on the ear, knowing that would jolt him awake from experience.

Taylor winced at the flick of the ear and, as predicted, was jolted awake. "What? What?" he mumbled sleepily. He opened his eyes and blearily looked over to a glaring Evie. Again, he asked, "What?"

"I can't sleep!" she told him, she began quietly, yet her voice got louder and shriller by each word. ""I can't even get comfortable while I'm lying in bed because….OH!...I'm pregnant…." The mockery was clearly evident in her voice. Taylor, who was now fully awake and slightly frightened, pushed himself up on his elbows and started inching his way backwards from her. "I am in severe pain, I don't feel good, I just want to rest, I'm hot and cold at the same time, and the last thing I want to do is GO TEACH A CLASSROOM FULL OF DISOBEDIENT CHILDREN!"

Taylor gave a short gasp before he promptly fell half off the bed, his legs dangling above him. "What just happened here?" he mumbled. Evie watched as he pulled himself off the bed and crawled until he was no longer on his back. He then slowly climbed back up on the bed. "One minutes….I'm dreaming I've got the world's biggest fish….and then suddenly I'm being bitched at by my usually lovely and devoted wife." He looked over in the dark room and saw Evie's pissed off glare and promptly shut up, yet not before saying, "Love you."

Evie sighed in frustration as she ran a hand through her messy hair. "Would you just call Mr. Tollotti and tell him we won't be in to teach today. It's early enough that they can still get some substitutes…"

Taylor blinked at her. "We're not teaching today?"

Evie snarled at him, "Did you NOT hear a word I just said?!"

Taylor flinched at her tone and whipped around to grab the phone that was on the bedside table. He went to dial the numbers, only to realize he didn't know which ones to dial. He sighed sadly, reluctantly turning to his furious wife and looking at her desperately. Evie shook her head. "555-879-4892. Extension 654."

Taylor dialed in the numbers and waited for the phone to ring. After the second ring, someone picked up. "Hello, Mr. Tollotti?"

He could hear the gruff voice of the school principal at the other end. "Yes, this is he. How may I help you?" Although the older man on the other side of the phone sounded professional, he also sounded just as tired as he and Evie felt.

"Hi, this is Taylor Braydon—"

"Braydon?" interrupted Tollotti. "You better not have called in again to say your man metal is sick with mosquito bites and you can't make it in again…."

Taylor smiled sheepishly, remembering the time he had gotten over a dozen mosquito bites and asking for the day off to recover his man metal. Of course, at the time, Taylor had believed it was some infectious disease that was going to eat up his man metal at the time, only to find out they were bug bites. "Heh, heh, No, sir. Umm….It's actually Evie, sir." He glanced over at his wife who was tiredly watching and listening.

"Oh, is everything alright?"

Taylor nodded. "Oh, yes. The babies are fine, but Evie is really sick today. She's tired, couldn't get any sleep, and….she just can't make it in today."

Mr. Tollotti's voice was sympathetic when he next spoke. "That's quite alright. She's been doing well during her term and hasn't missed a whole lot. She's eight months, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'll have someone take her place. I'm assuming you won't be coming in either, right?"

"That's right, sir."

"Alright, thank you. Please keep me informed on how she is. If she needs to, she can start her maternity leave early if you have a doctor's slip that I can show to the school board. They'll understand."

Taylor smiled. "Thank you so much, Mr. Tollotti. We appreciate it."

"Anytime. My best wishes to the both you. Good day."

"Bye."

Taylor hung up the phone and smiled at Evie, who now seemed a lot calmer now that she knew she wouldn't be going into work. He took a hand and brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Everything is taken care of" he assured her.

Evie leaned on towards him once he was sitting properly on the mattress once more. "Thank you, sweetie…." She ran a hand over her stomach. "I just…I just don't know how much longer I can handle this…..I'm so SICK of being pregnant….."

Taylor frowned sadly. He hated seeing Evie so upset. He liked it when she was happy. When she was happy; he was happy. He wrapped an arm around her and pushed away the bangs in her eyes. "Shhhh…..It's okay, baby. The Taylor Tots will be out soon and you won't have to be pregnant anymore. Then you'll get to be a mommy!"

Evie gave him a wan smile. She knew he was only trying to make her feel better, but she simply couldn't find the energy to think a positive thought. The books had warned her about this; depression. She knew it was just her hormones acting up on her. Normally she wouldn't have any problems save for the normal anxieties she occasionally dealt with. Now they seemed to be twice as bad, along with unusual pessimism she now had. "Yeah, well, once I'm a mommy, I won't be able to sleep the night through until they're at least two! I am not looking forward to that in the least!"

Taylor rubbed her back, thinking about what she had just said. "I'll do it."

Evie looked up at him with skeptical look. "You'll get up at the crack of dawn every morning and deal with the twins?"

Taylor nodded confidently. "Sure! I'll happily do it too!"

Evie felt as though she could just burst out laughing at his incredulous claim, yet decided it would be best not to for the sake of his feelings. She rubbed his legs affectionately as she giggled. "Right, thanks, sweetie." Her tone was light yet it was clear she didn't fully believe him.

"I will!" he insisted.

Evie nodded and started making her way to the edge of the bed, sliding her way across, until she was able to get her feet on the carpeted floor. She took a moment before managing to get up. Once she was up though, she froze as a thought occurred to her. She slowly turned around to face Taylor, who was currently picking wax out of his ear.

"Taylor?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"What day is today?" She looked as though she was dreading the answer.

Taylor gave a contemplating face before answering, "Friday the 10th." Evie whimpered loudly. "What's wrong now?"

"Mom and dad are coming into town today…..They're staying with us until the twins are born and everything is settled, remember?"

Taylor's bright eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, that's today?" Evie nodded as Taylor tried to figure out why that was such a terrible thing. He watched as Evie went to the dresser and started pulling out some sweats and a t-shirt she would be wearing the rest of the day. He scratched the back of his blonde head. "Okay, I'm confused….Why is that a bad thing? And when you say, 'mom and dad' I'm assuming you're talking about your parents?"

Evie shot him an annoyed look. "You're parents are in the middle of Atlantic Ocean right now on a month long cruise! Yes! It's MY parents!"

Taylor nodded. His parents sure loved their cruises; they lived out on the ocean more than they did land. "Right….Forgot. But still, what's the problem?

Evie took in a deep breath as she pulled off her night gown top and put on a bra, not even bothering to be modest. With the mood she was in, she couldn't care less. Not that Taylor complained any. She pulled on the t-shirt next. "Ugh….I'm just not in the mood to deal with them. I feel like crap….the kitchen is still a mess from that Stromboli you tried making last night….." She paused as she shook her head. "I NEVER should have let you touch that spaghetti sauce…." Taylor looked down into his lap sheepishly as he waited for more. "And…..I just….want to SLEEP! I haven't slept properly in months and it's just not fair!" Tears sprung to her eyes as her emotions once again got the better of her.

Taylor, seeing the tears, was quick to react. He hopped off the bed, only wearing blue pajama bottoms with red race cars on them, and pulled her close. "Shhh…..it's okay….I'll clean up the kitchen…..you just relax….rest…I'll take care of everything…..You don't have to go to school and teach…..just breath…." He started rocking her back and forth where they stood. Taylor's soothing words helped Evie calm down and dry her tears.

"Thank you, baby. I love you so much…." She arched her head so she could give him a kiss. When they parted they stared at each other lovingly for a moment before she broke the moment, "But you are forbidden to ever goo Italian EVER again, got it?"

Taylor nodded.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of Cyborg City, someone else was having just as bad of a start to the day as Evie Braydon was. The house that belonged to Inspector Gadget seemed quiet and peaceful on the outside, yet on the inside, it was currently a place of disarray.

The shrill cries of baby Hope had been keeping her parents up for the last hour. Unfortunately, the little infant had a nasty case of hiccups which refused to go away despite the best efforts of the frantic parents. Hope had handled them fine at first, yet as they progressed, she grew upset and had been crying for the last hour.

Penny was currently holding her, rocking her gently and patting her back soothingly in hopes to rid the hiccups. Hope just gave little squeaks every now and then between her fussing and tears. The blonde woman gave Gadget a pleading and desperate look as he was forced to start getting ready for work. He pulled on his trench coat with very little enthusiasm. He hated to leave them in such a state. Alice was sitting on the couch eating a bowl of cereal in her little toddler seat and plastic utensils. She watched her parents as they tried to sooth her baby sister. The hollering of Hope had of course woken her up earlier than she would have liked too, but rather than fuss about it, Alice had thankfully been a good girl and did as she was told.

Gadget sighed before leaning down and kissing Alice on the head. "That's my girl. You be good for Penny, okay?"

Alice smiled up at him the best she could since he was behind her. "Okay, daddy! I'll help Auntie Penny make Hope feel better."

Gadget smiled. Penny was not Alice's aunt, yet considering the situation, it fit. It was times like this that made Gadget realize just how odd and messed up his family ties were, yet he didn't regret any of it. He turned to Penny as she walked up to him with Hope in her arms. Hope had stopped most of her crying, but her eyes were still red and puffy as though she could start back up again at any moment. The infant hiccupped once more as Gadget leaned in for a kiss. He frowned when they parted. "I hate to leave you here alone when Hope is like this."

Penny shrugged it off. "Don't worry about it. You have to go into work. G2 should be by around eight to pick up Alice for pre-school anyways, maybe she can help. She might have some suggestions."

Gadget nodded, remembering how well his ex-wife was with calming children down in any situation. "Alright, I'll be home this afternoon. Love you."

"Love you."

Gadget headed out the door and shut the door behind him. The air was chilly as he walked over to the Gadget Mobile, who looked to be still asleep. He walked up to the car and got around to the driver's side, fully intending to open the door and get in, yet when he pulled on the door handle, nothing happened.

Gadget blinked down at the white door. He tried again, yet nothing happened. Just as he went to open his mouth to say something, Gadget Mobile spoke.

"Well, look who it is!" greeted Gadget Mobile mockingly.

Gadget took a step back in incredulity. "W-what? Gadget Mobile, come on, we have to go to work."

"What? No greeting? No, 'hello', no 'good morning'?" quipped the car.

Gadget gasped in astonishment. He was not in the mood for Gadget Mobile's cheekiness. He fumbled for his words for a moment. "Good morning!" He tried for the handle again yet nothing happened, causing him to stomp his foot in annoyance.

"Oh, no, you don't! That's not genuine! You had your chance to be nice!"

Gadget shook his head. "What is your problem today, Gadget Mobile?"

"YOU, G MAN!"

Gadget took another step back and pointed to himself. "Me?! What did I do?!"

"More like, what DIDN'T you do!" snapped the Gadget Mobile. "Do you NOT remember what you were supposed to do last night?" When he didn't receive an immediate answer, he continued, "Something involving my oil!"

It then dawned on Gadget what was going on. He looked skyward and placed a hand over his eyes. "Oh God! Seriously?! You're upset about that?! Gadget Mobile- I'm sorry I forgot to change your oil last night like I said I would, but we gotta go! I'll change it first thing this afternoon when I'm off work."

"Oh, like I haven't heard THAT one before!" In a falsetto mechanical voice, the car started imitating Gadget. "'Oh, don't worry, Gadget Mobile, I'll take care of first thing in the morning!'" He went back to his normal voice. "Lies! All lies! You know what, Gadget, I've had it up to HERE-" Gadget stared as the right windshield wiper suddenly came to life, lifting itself away from the glass and stretched itself out as far as it would go to indicate the high level of Gadget Mobile's patience. "—with you and your promises! I'm sick of being treated like a second hand side kick! I'm never on your list of priorities anymore! It's always, 'I'm too busy!' or 'I gotta go pick up the kids' or 'I have to take Penny on a date' or 'I have to go make out with Taylor' or 'I-"

Gadget interrupted him with a shout. "Wait?! WHAT?" His cheeks had gone hot as he thought over what he had heard Gadget Mobile just say about Taylor. He knew for certain he had never in his life said THAT!

Gadget Mobile ignored his embarrassment and said, "Oh, please…..You're takin' that wife of yours out to eat any chance you get! And while I love Penny to pieces; that starts wearin' on my wheels!"

Gadget gaped at the car before him; that hadn't even been what he was denying. He gaped like a fish for a long minute before finally composing himself and not allowing Gadget Mobile to get the best of his. He straightened out and fixed his tie before saying as calmly as possible, "Listen, Gadget Mobile….I am sorry for my lack of…"

"Love? Gratitude? Kindness? Respect—" rambled on the vehicle.

"Okay! I get the point!" barked Gadget. He took in a deep breath to once again control his anger. He was not in the mood for this. He didn't even want to go into work at all today since he knew he would be worried about baby Hope all day and he certainly did not want to deal with a stubborn and childish car! "I'm sorry. I will try my best to be a little nicer to you and to pay more attention to you. Now could we PLEASE just go into work now?"

Gadget Mobile didn't reply right away, yet after a long pause, the click of the doors being unlocked allowed Gadget to know he had succeeded. He tried the door handle one last time and was thrilled when it opened. He got into the car and settled in. Without a word, the Gadget Mobile took off towards the police station, leaving a frazzled Gadget to wonder what had just taken place.

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Taylor had managed to keep his promise. As the day progressed, he had cleaned the kitchen for Evie, made them breakfast and lunch; which both consisted of no cooking. Evie didn't want to take the risk of having Taylor make another mess in his clumsiness and had him make ham sandwiches for them.

Evie, on the other hand, laid on the couch near the kitchen most of the day watching television since she didn't have any energy to do anything else. She stayed curled up blankets; going from hot to cold in seconds like she had all the night before. She felt miserable and every time she tried dozing off, she would get uncomfortable or a cramp would start up and it would take her half hour to get comfortable again.

It was around three in the afternoon when the doorbell rang and announced that her parents had arrived. Evie turned off the television and started getting up as Taylor went to the front door to answer it.

On the other side of the door stood Evie's parents, Don and Mindy. Mindy was average height and build with curves and shoulder length red hair and stunning blue eyes. Don was about the same height and graying blonde hair and a matching mustache with muted blue eyes hidden behind wire rimmed glasses.

"Hello Evie's parents!" he announced to them both before shaking their hands.

Mindy laughed as she let herself in. "You still can't remember our names, can you, Taylor." She seemed amused to see him while Don gave him a look between amusement and exasperation.

"Nope!" laughed Taylor, openly admitting it.

"Mindy and Don" answered Mindy and pointing to themselves respectively.

"Riiiiight!"

"Mom! Dad!" came the excited cry of Evie as she walked into the front room. The front door was shut as Mindy gave her daughter a long hug. Don was next in giving her a hug. "Oh, it's good to see you!"

Mindy nodded and ran a hand over Evie's stomach once Don was out of the way. "Oh, it's great to see you too and you've gotten so big!"

Evie nodded as she looked down at her stomach. "Yeah…..It's big alright. There are two in there, that's for sure! I can feel them moving around all the time!"

"Come on, let's get in and sit. We don't want you standing" piped up Don as he guided Evie over to the couch in the living room. Taylor trailed behind and watched on contentedly. He liked Evie's parents; particularly Mindy. Mindy and him had always gotten along well; it was Don who he was unsure of. The man was not much of a talker to begin with, but it seemed like the two had said very little in all the time they've known each other. He feared Evie's dad didn't like him and did his best to please the man.

"Did you go to the doctor recently?" asked Mindy, starting a conversation as they sat in the living room.

Evie nodded. "Yes. She said I could be due at any time since its twins. The due date isn't until March 5th, but….since it's twins….they say I'll likely have them early. I could have them really at any time from now until then. Which is…..scary…..to say the least…."

"Have you been having any cramps?"

Evie nodded. "Oh, yes. And I've been having trouble sleeping…."

Mindy shook her head and ran her hand across Evie's stomach once more. "I just still can't believe my baby is having twins!"

Taylor spoke up at this, "Oh, I know! I We were both shocked! But you know…I think of it this way:…." He paused and saw he had everyone's attention. He put his two index fingers together and showed it to them. "That night…..that BRILLIANT night we had great sex—"

"TAYLOR!" cried out Evie is embarrassment and warning.

Taylor nodded and pressed on, the tips of his index fingers still pressed together. "Well-That was the night we tried something new-And honestly….I think that's what did it." Evie hid her face as her parents just listened. "But anyways-beside the point! My sperm and her egg were just SO filled with awesomeness—plus my man metal genes—and the egg was just SO overwhelmed—" He pulled apart his two index fingers in emphasis. "That it was forced to split and give us TWO awesome babies instead of just one!"

Mindy laughed and shook her head while Don just shook his head, not entirely sure how to take that. "That's probably what happened, Taylor…" agreed Mindy, playing along.

"Taylor, we've been over this-You're man metal will not be passed onto the twins. It's genetically impossible. Only your human side will pass on" explained Evie as she brought her face out from hiding.

Don nodded. "The mechanics of cybernetics doesn't work that way. Take a look at Inspector Gadget's kids! They don't have…man metal….They have normal human skin." Taylor just stared at them as though they'd spoken a different language. Don, seeing this, frowned and asked seriously, "You didn't honestly think that, did you?" Again, Taylor just stared. "How do you not fall down more?"

"Dad! Be nice!" growled Evie.

Don gave a sigh and leaned back into the couch. Don had given his opinion of Taylor Braydon early on in their relationship. He found the man to be incompetent and self-centered and had it not been for Taylor's wealthy bank account, he probably wouldn't have approved of them marrying. It was a topic that they left unspoken.

Taylor simply shrugged, not knowing what to say. It was Mindy who saved the conversation. "Well, why don't your father and I go and bring our stuff in and get settled into our room?"

Evie nodded and started getting up.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. One minute everything was fine, the next Evie was crying out in pain as she stood up and grabbed her stomach. The pain in her stomach and abdomen was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Mindy, Don, and Taylor all dove for her in concern, grasping her by the shoulders.

"Evie! Baby! What's wrong?!" demanded Taylor, who had been closest to her.

Evie blanched as she tried to answer, unable to due to the pain. After several tries, she managed, "It hurts!"

"Is it a contraction?" voiced Don.

Evie gasped. "Maybe-I've never felt this before! OWW!" Another pang of pain hit her.

Mindy pushed everyone aside and grabbed Evie by the shoulders. "Alright, come on. We're going to the hospital. It might just be false labor but we won't take any chances! Don, get the door!"

As the two of them led her out to the front door, Taylor noticed something on the floor. "Ugh…..Evie?" They turned to look back at him, clearly annoyed by the halt. "Ugh….you're leaking…."

All eyes looked down to the moist spots that were on the couch, floor, and down Evie's sweatpants. Evie looked up after having seen the spots, her eyes wide and frightened as Mindy and Don held onto her. "My water just broke…."

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Author's Note: Ooooh, looks like its baby time! Yay! Yes, those are Evie's parents. There will be more of them in Part 2. Enjoy!


	29. Chapter 29

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Evie belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'. I own nothing. Mindy and Don belong to me.

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"Gemini - Part 2"

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"My water broke…" whispered Evie again in completely shock as another wave of pain ran through her body. "Oh…God….They're coming now…" She held on tightly to her Mindy's hand and felt better as Don's hands were on her shoulders and was being supported.

Taylor grabbed the emergency baby bag they had always left in the front room in case this was ever to happen to them. It was a plush bag with pastel flowers all over it. Yet as he watched Evie's parents lead her out the front door there was only one question of his frazzled mind; "Wait, you broke your water?" he followed them along as they slowly made their way to the car. Evie couldn't walk very fast with how much pain she was in. "How do you BREAK water?" He noted that no one was listening to him and felt he needed to prove his point. "No, seriously! How did you break water? I mean, its liquid! You try slicing it and it just…..molds back into shape! Does pregnancy gives you like super powers to do that or something? Because I thought God was the only one who could break water!" He paused and thought about it. "Or wait…I'm thinking of…..He 'stands' on water….not breaks it…"

"Taylor" whimpered Evie as she reached out for his hand. She was really not in the mood for Taylor's adorable chattering. On any other occasion she would be laughing at his silliness; it was one of the main things she loved about him, but now was not the time. "Didn't you read the baby books I got you?"

"Of course I did! I read them all! I wanted to make sure I knew how to take care of my Taylor Tots when they came out!" replied Taylor as though it was the simplest question in the world. "But those books said NOTHING about you breaking water!"

Mindy and Don continued to push Evie gently into the car. Don, who had placed Evie's seatbelt on, pulled out of the car and found Taylor behind him. He grimaced at his daughter's husband. "Taylor Tots?" He didn't bother hiding his disgust.

Taylor blinked at him. "Yeah! That's a nickname we gave the twins!"

Don shook his head and before he got into the car be mumbled, "Evie must have married you only for you money…" Normally Taylor would let comments like that slide since it was far from the first time he had heard someone say that; including Don, but for some reason, this hurt him about three times more than usual. Yet before he could open his mouth to say anything, Don continued, "Just a spoiled rich kid…..You were probably an only child too, am I right?" He knew Taylor could hear him and went ahead and asked him.

Taylor once more went to open his mouth, feeling an even stronger sting to the last comment, when Mindy interrupted him. She was the one who had taken control of the situation. "Don, watch it! I mean it! Now is NOT the time for that!" she snapped at her husband. Don immediately went silent. In a kinder voice Mindy looked up through the rearview mirror and said, "Alright, we're heading over to the hospital. Hopefully you're not dilated too much so that we have enough time for the doctor to come in and check you over." Evie nodded, feeling comfort that her mother was there to help them out.

Evie got settled into the back seat and hold tightly to her stomach, being forced to take long deep breaths for it felt as though she had run a marathon. Don got into the passenger's seat while Mindy was in the driver's seat. Taylor, of course, got into the back seat with Evie and pulled her close, muttering reassurances into her ear. It was the best thing he could do not to ignore Don's comments. He had more important things to think about.

As the ignition started and Mindy started backing out of the driveway, Taylor kissed Evie on her right temple. "The Taylor Tots are coming!" he told her happily. Evie gave out a small giggle before grunting in pain. Taylor continued to give her little kisses as it suddenly dawned on him that his babies were finally coming out into the world. He'd always wanted babies; he loved them.

Sure, he already had a son, Benji, and Taylor loved him to pieces and felt a swell of pride every time he saw him, but he had missed Benji's babyhood, childhood, and nearly half of his teen years. This time Taylor was going to get to be there for his children from the very start.

"Taylor….I'm scared…." Whispered Evie as she held on tighter to his hand.

Taylor pulled her closer. "It's okay. It'll all be over before you know it. Once we get there the doctors will know what to do. They'll have Dr. Walker come in and she'll take care of everything for us, okay?"

Evie nodded at his words, trying to allow them to calm her down a bit.

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Inspector Gadget walked out of the Police Department sluggishly, more than happy that the day was over and he could finally go back to his wife and kids and find out how little Hope was doing. He gave a long sigh as he looked at the sunny sky around him and the peaceful atmosphere. Yet despite the beautiful day, he was unable to enjoy it for the memory of earlier that morning sprung to his mind once he saw Gadget Mobile in the parking lot. He certainly hoped the car wouldn't continue to give him problems.

He walked up the Gadget Mobile, walked around him, and stopped at the driver's door. Even though the car was off, the little 3D screen was still up and running and Gadget could see Gadget Mobile's little computerized self staring up at him almost mockingly as he rocked back and forth.

The two just waited there in silence for a long minute, neither wanting to be the first one to say anything. Finally, Gadget's patience wore out and he went to open the car door. It didn't open. Gadget stomped his foot in aggravation. "Ugh! Come on, Gadget Mobile! I thought we went over this!"

"Hmm mmm, G Man! I gotta make sure you're not just pulling your normal stuff! You say you're gonna treat me better and then you go and treat me the same way!" insisted the car.

Gadget threw his arms up in the air. "What do you want from me?"

"Now we're talkin'!" cheered Gadget Mobile, ignoring Gadget's sigh of annoyance. "First off, I demand some more respect!"

Gadget stared at the car before him. "We're best friends, how much more respect do you need?"

"Just cause we're friends, doesn't mean you treat me well" he snapped in reply. "Continuin'! I demand to have new tires—"

"You just GOT new tires!"

Gadget Mobile ignored him. "I demand a new paint job since over time you've scratched it so bad! I need new wiring cause some of the buttons are getting slow and harder to push. My oil needs to start being changed every two weeks. I need new headlights—"

Gadget just gaped at the growing list of demands the Gadget Mobile had for him. He was forced to sit there and listen to him as he shook his head in disbelief. Finally, he said, "Gadget Mobile!" The car stopped talking and listened." I need to go and pick up some milk for Penny and the kids at the grocery store. You can continue your rant on the way there and save us both time."

Gadget Mobile said nothing in reply, just started on with his ramble, yet Gadget heard the distinct click of the door being unlocked and he quickly got inside. Gadget didn't even have to think about touching the wheel; Gadget Mobile took off before he could even get his seat belt on.

"Oh, and another thing…..I never did get any more Skittles put back in me after they were knocked out of me all those years ago when we were catchin' Claw that first time!"

Gadget stared incredulously at the animated car screen. "Why do you need Skittles put back into you?!"

"Don't you be mindin' that! That's for me to know and you to wonder about! Now sit back and listen to what I also want—"

Gadget tuned out the car, wanting more than anything to be home with his family.

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Evie gave out a sharp cry as another cry of pain shot through her abdomen.

"Shhh! It's okay, baby! We're almost there! Just breathe! Think of the Taylor Tots! You're doing this for the Taylor Tots!" assured Taylor as he supported Evie in the backseat of the car.

"Taylor Tots…" grumbled Don in the passenger's seat.

"Don, shut it!" snapped Mindy.

Taylor ignored Don and focused on Evie, rubbing her back. "We're almost there…"

As he said these words, Mindy came to a stop light and came to a halt. There was very little traffic and everyone was thinking the same thing: GO! The light was in front of the grocery store and known for being extra-long. Yet finally when the light finally turned green, nothing happened when Mindy pressed on the gas pedal. She tried again, looking frantically at the wheel before her. "Nothing is happening!" The car suddenly went silent and the ignition went off. Mindy's eyes then scanned over the gas meter and saw that it was out of gas. "Oh, my God! This cannot be happening!"

Evie looked up from the pain she was in and asked, "What? What happened?"

"We're out of gas!" cried out Mindy, placing a hand over her mouth. "I had no idea, I thought we still had plenty in the tank!"

Don leaned over and tried the ignition. It didn't start, yet after a few tries it finally did. They all looked to the gas meter and saw that it was indeed on empty. Mindy pushed Don aside and took the wheel now that the car was on again. "I don't know how it came back on, but we have to park this thing!" She glanced over at the grocery store and turned on her blinker before pulling into the parking lot. She parked the car and turned the key. She shook her head, "I don't know what we're gonna do!"

"We could call for someone!" suggested Don.

"We don't have time!" pointed out Mindy.

Evie gave out a another cry in the backseat and Taylor tried his best to help her. "I can't stand this, mom! We have to go now!" Everyone was speechless as they had no idea what they were going to do. Evie needed to be at the hospital as soon as possible. The contractions were getting closer and closer.

"How many minutes apart are the contractions?" was the next thing Mindy asked.

"Every few minutes…" sighed Evie is exhaustion as a contraction finally ended and she was able to get some slight relief.

"It's okay until they're right on top of each other, right?" asked Taylor. Mindy and Evie nodded, causing Taylor to give Don a smug look. "See? I'm not entirely stupid!" Don ignored him. Taylor's eyes then scanned through the parking lot and his bright eyes landed on the familiar shape of Gadget Mobile. "Gadget's here!"

Evie turned to him tiredly, "What?"

Taylor pointed to the Gadget Mobile that was parked near the grocery store entrance. "It's Gadget Mobile! If Gadget Mobile is here, then Gadget must be here too!" At the blank expressions on everyone's faces, he elaborated. "He can give us a ride to the hospital!"

Evie, Mindy, and Don all seemed to have the same reaction and they all started getting out of the car. Mindy got out first and started helping Evie out of the back seat while Taylor whipped the door open, got out, and started sprinting over to the Gadget Mobile while Evie's parents slowly got her out of the car and over towards the Gadget Mobile.

Taylor stopped next to the car and looked like a giddy child on Christmas. "Oh, Gadget Mobile! I've never been so excited to see you in all my life!"

"Now THAT'S that kinda greetin' I like to hear!" exclaimed the car. Then he asked more quietly. "Where did YOU come from Taylor?"

"No time to explain, Gadget Mobile! Evie is in labor! My Taylor Tots are coming and our car has run out of gas! We need to get to the hospital as soon as possible! Where's Gadget?!" explained Taylor frantically as he held onto the side of the car and glanced back to see Don and Mindy bringing over Evie.

"He's in the store getting milk" was the answer.

Evie's voice interrupted Taylor's next thought. "Where is Gadget? Is he here? He needs to take us to the hospital!"

Don and Mindy's eyes went wide when it looked to the Gadget Mobile. They had heard about Inspector Gadget and his talking care, but they had never met them in person. Had they not been so wrapped up with their daughter, they would have been staring and asking questions; especially Don. "He's in the store!"

Just as he said those words, Gadget walked out of the store with a carton of milk in his hands. He looked up to see Taylor, Evie, and who he could only assume to be Evie's parents. "Hey—What's going on?" he asked as he leaned over and placed the milk in the car. As he leaned back up, Taylor grabbed him by the shoulders. "Gadget! Evie's in labor! Our Taylor Tots are coming! We need a ride!"

Gadget took a moment to register his words before nodding. "Oh, alright, then. Get in! Let's go!"

Gadget Mobile opened the back door, which stunned Don and Mindy since the two looked to have opened up by itself. Evie was quickly put inside and Taylor was next to go in. Yet the moment husband and wife were inside, Gadget Mobile slammed his doors shut and turned on the ignition. "Gadget Mobile! Wait! What about us?!" demanded Gadget.

"Those are my parents!" cried out Evie. "They need to come!"

"Are they the ones havin' the baby? No! I thought not! There's so time to spare, we gotta GO GO!" Gadget's hands flinched away from the car as Gadget Mobile's tires spun and he quickly pulled out of the parking spot in reverse.

"No one is in the driver's seat! How is this car moving?!" demanded Don in fright. Everyone ignored him though.

"We'll meet you at the hospital!" cried out Mindy as Gadget Mobile started heading out of the parking lot. "Take care of her Taylor!"

Taylor shot them a wave in agreement as Gadget Mobile set off down the road with them in the backseat.

Left in their wake, Gadget, Mindy, and Don just stood there flabbergasted. Gadget turned to them nervously, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. "Hi…" he said to them. Both parents turned to him with stunned looks on their faces. "I'm Inspector Gadget." They nodded numbly, neither believing they were currently in the presence of the famous hero: Inspector Gadget. "So…..Do you either of you have any bus money then?"

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The Gadget Mobile had gotten them to the hospital in no time flat and before either of them knew it, they were heading to the front desk to the hospital. Evie couldn't remember how many times she had thanked Gadget Mobile for getting them there and Taylor had promised the car would be the Taylor Tot's favorite car to ride in. After being in a bad mood all day with Gadget, that had certainly made Gadget Mobile's engine go hot with happiness.

Taylor immediately found a wheel chair for Evie and was now speaking to the front desk lady. "Hi! My name is Taylor Braydon and ugh….babies are coming out of my wife!"

Evie burst out laughing, now in a better mood since she knew she was safely in a hospital with doctors. "My water broke and my contractions are about a fifty seconds apart" she explained to the woman.

The woman had a pixie cut red hairstyle and she smiled warmly at the two of them. "Alright. We just happen to have a private room open. I'll sign you up and have someone come get you." It was only a minute later that a nurse came up to them and smiled. The woman behind the desk said, "Take them to room 292 in Delivery."

The younger nurse nodded and went to take Evie's wheelchair handles, but Taylor beat her to it. "Thanks, but I'll push her." The woman nodded and gestured for them to follow.

As they waited for the elevator, she asked, "What are you having?"

"Twins" responded Evie.

"Yep, our awesomeness couldn't be contained in just one egg, so it spilt into two and now we have identical twins…" nodded Taylor.

The nurse laughed as Evie rolled her eyes with an amused smirk. "Well, we'll have you put in a nice room while we wait for you to deliver. Do you have any idea how many centimeters you are along?"

Evie shook her head. "No."

"Oooh! Isn't that were you feel the vagina with your fingers and find out? Oh! Can I do it?!"

Both women just stared at Taylor, neither sure how to take his excitement.

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Waiting for the bus had been an awkward event for Gadget, Mindy, and Don, but it was their only option since their car had no gas. They wanted to be with for Evie and Taylor and figured they could get the car later.

Nearly an hour later, they found themselves in room 292. They walked into the room and Mindy went straight to Evie's side and hugged her. "Oh, sweetie! How are you?"

"I'm fine, mom. Taylor has been taking good care of me" she smiled. Mindy smiled over at the blonde man who was standing on the other side of the bed. Don just gave him a skeptical look, yet said nothing. Gadget, having trailed in behind, said nothing and tried to act inconspicuous as he felt out of place.

"I just gave her some ice chips" Taylor announced, holding a cup of said ice chips.

"How many centimeters along are you?" asked Mindy.

"Seven centimeters! The doctor let me feel it myself!" announced Taylor happily before Evie could reply. Mindy and Don just stared at him for a moment, not sure to handle the thought of Taylor doing that. Mindy shrugged it off though; it was all part of the experience. Don just remained silent. Nobody noticed Gadget's red face as he remembered when he had done that when Penny was having Hope.

It was at this moment that another contraction began and Evie gasped in pain and started taking deep breaths. Taylor was the first to react in helping her as he gently held her hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead, making sure the headband she had been wearing was keeping her bangs out of her eyes. Evie sat up as a pain shot through her lower back and Taylor helped support as she did so. "Shhh, it's okay, breath. We're doing this of the Taylor Tots! Just think of Oliver and James! Ollie and Jimmy! Think of Ollie and Jimmy!"

After a minute the contraction died down and Evie was able to relax a bit more. Mindy and Don just watched in awe, impressed with how well Taylor was watching over their daughter. He was so attentive and every little thing she needed he was right there to get it for her. She needed another pillow, he had two waiting for her. She wanted more ice chips, a large cup was waiting. A contraction began, he waited patiently for it to be over and encouraged her the entire time with love.

Mindy and Don glanced at each other and smiled. Taylor may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was most certainly the sweetest.

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It wasn't for another hour that the nurse came back in to check up on how Evie was doing. The contractions were now almost constant since they were now one after the other, which left Evie to be in complete pain without any breaks. Taylor was the only one standing as he supported his pained wife.

The nurse smiled at everyone else, who were all sitting in chairs that had been brought in and waiting and walked up to Evie to lift up the sheet that was covering Evie's lower half. Evie's legs were already open so the nurse quickly and discreetly reached under the sheet with her gloved hand and checked.

After her hand was out, she smiled warmly. "Congratulations. You're about to be a mom!"

Evie and Taylor stared at her; speechless.

As the nurse left to get her ready for the move over to the Delivery Room, Taylor and Evie just stared at each other, numb with happiness. "They're coming…." Whispered Evie. Taylor nodded.

"We'll see you after delivery darling" cooed Mindy as she gave her daughter a kiss. Don gave her Evie as kiss as well, sad that he had to wait in the waiting room while his daughter gave birth. Gadget followed the two parents out the door and gave Taylor a wink and a smile.

The next half hour was a complete blur to both of them. They had wheeled her into the delivery room, got up onto the delivery table and a then a miracle happened. Taylor wished he could savor this moment in his life forever. His children were being born. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks as a large smile was on his lips as he stood next to Evie, supporting her the whole way.

The doctor coached Evie the whole way through, telling her what was happening and telling her when and not to push. Evie herself was too busy to smile since she was in so much pain, but tears were rolling down her eyes too. Yes, there was pain, but in the back of her mind, she knew her sons were being born and she couldn't be happier about that.

Taylor had always wanted children. He had missed out on his chance to see Benji being born, but there was no chance he was going to miss this. He wished he could video tape this moment and play it in his mind over and over because it was all happening so fast. His heart felt like it had leapt out of his chest when he heard the first high pitched cries of Oliver Braydon.

Taylor had gasped and his bright eyes went wide as the doctor pulled out a living and breathing baby. Evie had given a cry of happiness when she saw little Oliver. Taylor's eyes never left Oliver until he was carried away to be wiped off and wrapped up in a powder blue blanket. After hearing Evie cry out in pain once more, he remembered that another little miracle was about to be born.

Taylor's body felt numb as he watched his second son born three minutes later. He held onto Evie's shoulders, feeling that if he didn't have that connection to reality, he would think himself to be dreaming. This was all just too wonderful to be true. Everything was just so bright and happy and it all just seemed so surreal to the both of them.

Evie had never felt so much pain in her life, yet at the same time, she was willing to go through it all again if it meant she got to hold her new little twin sons. For the last nine months they had been inside of her and she knew her babies. She knew them. She had never met them, but she knew them. They were a part of her and now she got to finally meet them.

James Braydon was born and wiped clean and wrapped in a powder blue blanket just like his brother.

Evie gasped as the doctor and nurse brought over their baby sons and felt as though she could pass out from the happiness.

Taylor took hold of baby Oliver and held him close to his chest. The little baby was crying softly until he was handed over to Taylor. Once in Taylor's arms, it was as though he knew he was with his daddy now ad he slowly stopped crying. Tiny blue eyes slowly opened to look up into Taylor's face and it was then that the tears fell from Taylor's own eyes. He sobbed happily as his baby boy looked at him for the first time. He leaned down and gave Oliver a kiss on the forehead.

He was so wrapped up in his happiness, he faintly heard himself speaking, "Hello, Oliver. Little Ollie!" He bit back a sob. "I'm Taylor! I'm your daddy! And you're my little Taylor Tot!"

He heard Evie's giggle and looked down to see an identical boy baby in his wife's arms. He stepped closer to get a look at James and felt even more tears fall down his face. Not only was he blessed to have one beautiful baby boy, but two! James Braydon was squirming and looking up and around at the world with the same blue eyes as his brother. "Hello, James…" cooed Evie, giving him a kiss.

"You're a Taylor Tot too!" cried out Taylor happily. He leaned down and gave James a kiss on the forehead as well, then allowed Evie to see Oliver. "They're perfect, Evie! Perfect! Just like you!" he then gave his wife a kiss.

"No…." whispered Evie. "Just like US."

The two new parents rocked their new infants slowly back and forth, lost in the happy bubble they were now living in. They didn't care about what was going on in the world around them; they were with their babies. The luckiest babies in the world. Taylor would make sure they were the happiest, healthiest kids they could ever be. He was determined to be the best daddy and husband out there.

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Author's Note: The twins have been born! There will be more in Gemini – Part 3. I found that this would be a good place to end it here. Hope you all liked it!


	30. Chapter 30

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Evie belong to Aline Riva. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'. I own nothing. Mindy and Don belong to me.

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"Gemini - Part 3"

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"So, you're Inspector Gadget, hmm?" asked Evie's father as they waited for Evie to come out of Delivery. The three of them had been waiting in the lobby, glancing through magazines and generally staring into space while Taylor and Evie were having the twins. Gadget was sitting several chairs down from where Don and Mindy were sitting.

He had been glancing through a Mechanics magazine when Don had asked that awkward question. He glanced over at the couple with a nod. "Last time I checked, yeah…"

Silence followed for several minutes before Don spoke again, "I guess I just always pictured you more….clumsy…"

Gadget, who had gone back to glancing through the magazine, slowly turned his gaze back up to Don, not believing his ears. He was being insulted?

Mindy gave a sigh of frustration as she sat up straighter in her chair from having been sitting with her legs crossed. "Don, do you ever know when to shut up?" she hissed into his ear.

Sensing trouble, Gadget quickly intervened. "It's okay. I—I actually used to get that a lot." He set the magazine on the table before him. "I'm….not gonna lie, I can be clumsy…..I mean, everyone has their moments. I never used to be the great inspector everyone knows me to be….." He paused and thought about it for a while before adding. "It actually wasn't until around the time Taylor became my Deputy did people really stop thinking I was incompetent and clumsy…Yeah, he….really made me look good compared to him…." He trailed off, hating to say such things about Taylor, yet at the same time knowing they were true. Taylor was far more clumsy and blundering than Gadget ever was; and, in Gadget's opinion, that was saying something.

Gadget sighed and thought about his best friend. Taylor Braydon surely was something else; he was like no one else he had ever met. Taylor had such a heart of gold, not to mention the heart of a child. Not to mention the strangest of fetishes.

Gadget shook his head as he pictured his best friend being a father and taking care of two little infants. It made him smile for he knew how much his friend had wanted this day to come. He could remember when Taylor had first told him Evie was pregnant. He had never seen someone so happy; the man had been practically bouncing off the walls.

"So, you're best friends with Taylor?" was Mindy's more appropriate question.

Gadget nodded. "Yeah, I met him several years back. He was running for mayor of Riverton when I first met him—"

Don snorted at the very idea. "He doesn't seem like mayoral material."

Gadget knew Don didn't like Taylor all that much, yet this time, he didn't quite sense the harshness of his words. It was true though, Taylor was far from mayoral material. "You're right. He's not." He paused, debating whether or not how much he should say. It really wasn't his place to go into detail about Taylor's past. That and not everyone knew that Delia Braydon, Taylor's late and ex-wife had been the Riverton Bomber. "He did it more for his wife and for Riverton more than anything. The city was going through a rough patch back then and he just wanted to try to make a difference and…..got in a little over his head. So, he dropped out of it."

"It was nice that he gave himself a chance" commented Mindy. Gadget nodded, hoping the conversation would end there. He really didn't wish to talk about the time of the Riverton Bomber.

It was then that an elated Taylor walked through the doors that led from the delivery on the second floor and into the waiting lobby. Don, Mindy, and Gadget all looked to the door and could tell simply by the shine in Taylor's eyes and the flush in his face that the twins had been born and Evie was now in Recovery. The three of them would now be able to come and meet the new born twins at last.

Taylor brushed away some tears that were still coming from his eyes as he silently gestured for them to come in and follow them. He couldn't bring himself to say any words at the moment. The three of them stood up and followed Taylor as he led them into Evie's room. Both parents were excited to see their first and only grandchildren. It was clear that Mindy was doing her best to keep herself together as the idea of her being a grandmother slowly sunk in. She was not a woman who showed her emotions all that much. Don was the same way and tried his best to keep it together as they walked into the room. Gadget trailed behind them, once again feeling slightly out of place, for this was a time for family and though he was best friends with Taylor and good friends with Evie, he still felt this wasn't the right time for him to be there.

Gadget shut the door behind them as Mindy and Don walked around the sides of the bed and stared in awe as Evie held two little babies in her lap. Evie smiled up at her parents; looking utterly spent after the delivery yet happy at the same time. "Hi, mom. Dad. I have two very special boys I want you to meet."

Mindy gasped in delight as she was handed little Oliver. Taylor walked up beside her and smiled before saying, "Meet Oliver Raymond Braydon!" He took a moment to chuckle and take a finger to touch little infant's nose. "We're gonna call him 'Ollie' for short."

"Ooh, that's cute" cooed Mindy. She smiled down at the baby. "Hello, Ollie. I'm your grandma Mindy!" She looked up at Taylor and Evie. "Why the name Raymond?"

No one noticed the way Taylor tensed ever so slightly at her question before turning to her with a strained smile. "No reason…"

Evie glanced up at Taylor and suddenly burst into tears. "What's wrong?" asked Don as Taylor took James from Evie's arms. Evie was too busy sobbing to say anything, so Taylor explained for her, having snapped out of his revere.

"She's been crying off and on like that since the birth. The doctor says that's completely normal because of all the hormones and stuff…" he trailed off before adding. "I mean, she started crying when she realized the twins were blondes…" He shrugged. "Well, yeah, of course they would be blonde….I'm blonde…and she's…" He looked at Evie's hair color. "…..A dark blonde…"

Evie giggled through her tears. "They call that 'strawberry blonde'."

Taylor blinked at her. "What's strawberry about it?"

Everyone chuckled at his question and left it at that. Don, who was standing on the other side of the bed, was surprised when Taylor walked up to him with little James in his arms. "Here, Don….Meet James Taylor Braydon. 'Jimmy' for short." Don and Taylor met each other's gaze and there was a moment of understanding between the two of them as Don took Jimmy from Taylor's arms.

Don smiled down at the baby who was blinking sleepily out at the world. "Thank you, Taylor." Taylor smiled and went to turn when Don continued speaking, "No—I mean—for more than just now…You were great back there….when my daughter needed you." Taylor just stared at him, having not expected praise from Evie's father, who, up until this point, had not gone out of his way to show how much he looked down upon him. Don looked down at little Jimmy in his arms. "And I think you're going to make an excellent dad."

Taylor felt his face go red as he heard these words. He fiddled nervously with the buttons on the dress shirt he was wearing. "Wow….thanks…You're going to make an excellent grandpa."

The two of them smiled at each other one last time before turning away. Taylor turned and found Gadget was standing beside him. He gave a start before crying out happily, "Oh, Gadget! I almost forgot you were here!" He gave the inspector a large side hug. Gadget just laughed nervously and patted him on the shoulder.

"Yeah….I'm still here…" replied Gadget awkwardly. He dug his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. "I really don't feel like I should be here though, you know? I mean…"

"Nonsense!" interrupted Taylor.

Evie, who had overheard them, looked up as she wiped away her previous tears. "Of course you belong here, Gadget. You're like family to us!"

Gadget looked down and shuffled his feet. "Aww, thanks."

Mindy then handed off Ollie to Gadget. "Would like to hold one of them?"

Gadget didn't have a chance to answer, for the woman was already handing Ollie over to Gadget. "Oh, yeah, sure…" muttered Gadget as he took hold of the little infant wrapped up in the blue blanket. Once he had hold of him, he pulled the little baby close, remembering the feeling of holding his own baby Hope in his arms for the first time. He knew exactly what Taylor was going through. Ollie gurgled a bit and some spit came from his mouth so Gadget gently wiped it away.

Taylor leaned over his friend's shoulder, beaming with pride at his little son. "Aww, Ollie, you're the first to meet your Uncle Gadget!"

Now that certainly struck an emotional cord.

Gadget stiffened slightly as he held Ollie close to his chest, his mind lost in thought. That was certainly something he had not heard in a long time. It took him back to all those years Penny had called him her 'Uncle Gadget'. Long before she had ever learned that he was not truly her uncle since he had been adopted. Long before he had learned of her feelings for him. Long before they had gotten together and became lovers.

"Uncle Gadget?" he echoed in awe.

Taylor nodded; he was unaware of the memories and emotions that were currently bombarding his friend. "Yep! They're going to look up to you as their Uncle Gadget! It's great, isn't it, knowing they're see you as an uncle!"

Gadget smiled. It would be nice to be 'Uncle Gadget' again. Just thinking about it brought back so many fond memories. All the times Penny used to trail after him while he was on a case. All the times she had come to him when she was hurt or afraid or wanted something. All the times they had spent together at home watching movies with Brain on his days off.

Now he was known as a 'daddy', which was far from a bad thing. He loved it. But it would be nice to be 'Uncle Gadget' again. "Yeah..." he turned to Taylor with a nod. "It'll be nice being their 'uncle'. I'm proud and honored to be."

Taylor sighed and watched as Gadget and Don held onto his Taylor Tots. He couldn't even begin to explain how much he loved them. He shook his head, "They're just…great...aren't they?" he said aloud for everyone to hear. Everyone turned to look at him and smiled in agreement. Taylor wiped away a few stray tears. He walked over to Evie and gave her a kiss. When they parted he continued speaking, "I mean….it's amazing to think we had sex. That's all we did, but somehow we made two little people!"

Evie nodded, taking a hand and patting Taylor on the chest. "Yes, Taylor. We understand. It's a miracle." She knew what was about to happen; she knew her Taylor all too well. He was going to start rambling and say something embarrassing. She went to quiet him when he continued speaking, yet not before Gadget understood Evie's worried look and frowned. He wasn't looking forward to this either.

"I mean…Wow! I thought sperm was just for, you know...hands down pants and hide the stains when I was younger...I never thought one day I'd meet someone who could get together with me and use the seeds of my passion to make babies! It's like a miracle! I just can't believe two people came out of you Evie!" he leaned down and kissed his wife once more. When he came up, he went on. "They just came out of you! I saw them come out..." He looked around at everyone in the room. "How could we make two people just by having sex? It's like, WOW! ... I feel like looking in my pants and congratulating my parts!"

"PLEASE DON'T!' cried everyone else in the room at the same time. Gadget and Don made sure to hold the twins close as they did this. Mindy was sitting in the chair on the opposite side of the bed and she shook her head. She had high tolerance when it came to Taylor, but this was pushing it.

Taylor chuckled nervously at them all, clearly not understanding the fuss they were making. "What? It's no big deal…" he moved his hand down towards his waist line. "It'll only take a—"

"Taylor, please do not congratulate your body parts near my babies!" hollered Evie.

Taylor removed his hand from his waist line and frowned sadly. He started speaking in a soft, innocent and slightly sad voice. "Um…." He tapped her on the shoulders. "You know….they may have come out of you…..but they're MY babies too, honey….that's how it works…." He pressed his two fingers together. "Remember how I said our awesomeness combined was so great it split into two?" He separated his fingers.

Evie sighed, once again amazed that Taylor was completely oblivious to the actual problem. She reached for his hand and took it gently in hers. "Yes, sweetie. I know they're yours too…." She said this tenderly before her voice turned hard and serious, a clear sign of mood swing from the hormones. "But if you continue talking about your body parts like this I'll be sure they become ONLY mine…" She gripped his hand a little tighter and Taylor got the hint.

He pursed his lips together and nodded. "Oh, okay…." There was silence for a while. "I can just wait until you all leave…."

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Author's Note: Oh, Taylor….you may now be a father of twins, but you shall never change. This is the end of the Gemini chapters. Enjoy!


	31. Chapter 31

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Evie belong to Aline Riva. Ollie and Jimmy belong to me. This takes place after 'Doomsday Machine'.

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"Babysitting"

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"Oh, look at how cute you are!" laughed Taylor as he knelt down into the crib and kissed little Jimmy on the forehead. He then turned his eyes over to Ollie, who was lying next to his twin brother in the double sized crib. Taylor, instead of kissing Ollie on the head too, picked him up, much to the infant's delight. Both twins had had their chubby little arms in the air, reaching for their daddy.

Taylor smiled broadly as he straightened up, holding Ollie under the arms, and brought him close to his chest. Little Ollie gave a squeal of happiness while Taylor moved him up so that the baby's face was up to his. "Oh, my gosh! It's the Ollie-ator!" he cried out in mock fright as he played with his son. He started fake screaming and sounding as though Ollie was attacking him as he hid his face into Ollie's tiny chest. The baby's arms automatically moved up over Taylor's head and tiny fingers dug into his blonde hair. Ollie eyes shone bright and his mouth was open as his daddy played with him. Taylor continued messing around. He continued speaking in a high falsetto voice. "Oh, no! The Ollie-ator has got me! He's gone completely berserk! He's crazy! Somebody stop him, HELP!" As if on cue, Ollie's little fists grabbed onto a few strands of his hair. "Noo! Help!"

There was a sharp, unhappy cry from the crib as little Jimmy started fussing since he was missing out on the fun. He no longer could sense his twin brother near him and it made him upset. At the sound of the cry, Taylor pulled his face away from Ollie's torso and glanced down at his other son. "Oh! It's the Jimmi-ator too! Oh, no! They're gonna gang up on me!" He positioned Ollie properly in his left arm and gently moved down to pick up Jimmy so that he could hold them together.

It took him a moment to adjust to having two babies instead of just one, but after a moment, he was holding each twin in an arm and making sure to hold their heads up since they still had trouble doing it on their own.

Jimmy had stopped fussing once he was in the arms of his daddy and was no longer being ignored. Both of them were smiling in Taylor's arms and as Taylor looked down and smiled at each of them, both twins simultaneously started laughing.

It was a beautiful sound.

Taylor's bright eyes stared at his twins sons, overjoyed that they were laughing. He forgot about the little game he had been playing them, too wrapped up in their laughing. They had never laughed before.

"Oh, wow! You're laughing!" he chuckled, unable to keep his own laughs out of his voice. He could feel emotion run over him as he fought back tears. He was hearing his sons laugh for the first time. "Oh, you guys have never laughed before!" He held them closer as the twins continued to smile and give out little giggles every now and then.

As he stood there holding them in awe, both of them reached up and tried to grab him face. He blinked and his grin widened as his childish side came out once again. "Oh, no! Both the Jimmi-ator and the Ollie-ator are after me! Noooo!"

Too busy playing with the twins, Taylor didn't hear the footsteps of Evie coming into the room. She stopped once she was over the threshold and watched as her husband playing the 'Terminator' game with the twins, where he started acting like they were attacking him and planning on taking over. She giggled and shook her head. "What are you boys doing?"

Taylor looked over at the sound of her voice and smiled. He ignored her question as she handed over Ollie to her. "Evie! You missed it! They were laughing! They laughed for the first time!"

Evie's eyes widened behind her glasses. "They did?!" She looked closely at Ollie now as though expecting him to start laughing.

Taylor nodded. "Yeah! I was playing the 'Terminator' game with them and they just started laughing! Oh, I wish you would have heard it, baby! It was the greatest sound I ever heard!"

Evie sighed, 'Ugh, I hate that I missed it…" She ran a hand over Ollie's head, noting the few stray hairs that were on it. "But I'm sure I'll have many chances to hear them laugh…." She turned a teasing look on Taylor. "Especially with YOU as their daddy, you silly man!"

Taylor's lips formed a straight line as he nodded proudly. "Yep, that's me! Mr. Silly Man by day!" He stepped closer to Evie and gave her an alluring smile. "And Mr. Man Metal…by night…" He leaned in and gave Evie a wet sloppy kiss on the ear which made her shriek and laugh at it tickled.

"Ahhh! Taylor, stop that!" she chortled as she kept a steady grip on Ollie. She wiped at her ear. She placed Ollie down in the crib before Taylor put Jimmy down. Evie watched a Jimmy was put in and scratched the back of her head. "Now, are you sure you're going to be okay this evening?"

Taylor nodded as he straightened back up. "Oh, yeah! I'll be fine! Gadget will be here."

Evie wrung her hands together. This was the first time Evie was leaving the babies in the complete care of Taylor while she went and visited her parents for the evening. She took in a deep breath before looking back down at the twins. She placed a hand over her stomach as she realized what she was going to do. She frowned and wondered if she could actually go through with it and leave her babies, even for just a few short hours. "You guys will be okay?" She asked him uncertainly.

Taylor fought the urge to roll his eyes, having heard this question many times ever since Evie had decided to go pay her parents a visit. "Yes, baby, I'll be fine! I get along great with the twins! It's LIKE we're father and son!" he teased her. Evie smiled, knowing she was just over reacting. Taylor was great with the kids and she knew she had nothing to worry about.

"Well, alright, then I'm gonna head on out of here. Gadget should be here any minute. You two can have a quiet night in." She checked her watch and noted that she had to leave. She wrapped her arms around Taylor and pulled him close, resting her head on his shoulder. They held each other tightly for several long minutes before finally pulling apart. "Alright, now stop making the twins laugh when I'm not around! I don't want to miss them laughing anymore!"

Taylor threw his arms up in the air. "I can't stop the Taylor Charm, it just happens!"

Evie giggled and pulled him into another long deep passionate kiss. He took his hands and started running them through her hair as she did the same and ran her fingers over the back of his neck. The kiss deepened even more and Taylor could feel his body start to get worked up over the passionate moment. He wished she didn't have to leave so that he could make love to her because he loved it when she kissed him like this.

There was a knock on the front door and the two of them were forced to pull apart. "That's probably Gadget" she told him breathlessly as she ran a hand through her hair to fix it in the places Taylor had messed it up. Taylor sighed, having gotten completely aroused by the moment. "Ugh, Evue…baby….why torture me like this? You know I always get worked up when you do that!" he whined.

Evie gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, sweetie. I got caught up in the moment."

"Now my man metal is begging to be with you!" he continued whining as they walked out of the room and headed to the front door. "Can't we just have a quick—"

"Shhh! Gadget is here!" she warned him before she opened the front door.

On the other side of the door stood Inspector Gadget and he smiled at the two of them. "Hello, Evie" he greeted before stepping over the threshold of the mansion. He gave her a brief hug before stepping further to see Taylor standing there. "Hello, Taylor." He went to give his friend a hug, but Taylor simply took a step backwards and gave wave. With the way he was feeling, it would be best if he didn't touch Gadget, or anyone for that matter.

"Hello" chirped Taylor.

Gadget raised an eyebrow at him yet said nothing. He turned to Evie who was grabbing her purse and getting ready to head out the door. "Alright, so how long will you be gone then, Evie?"

Evie was digging for her keys in her purse and didn't meet eye contact with either of them. She was now regretting that long kiss as much as Taylor was. "Oh, I'll be over at their place for probably most of the night. Not sure how long, but count on me being home late." Both men nodded. "Call me if you need anything. And thank you, Gadget. For coming over to help with Taylor and the twins."

Gadget shrugged it off. "No problem. I know what it's liking having to stay at home for the first time with a baby. It can be a little nerve-wracking."

Evie nodded and looked back at Taylor, looking as though she wanted to kiss his goodbye again, but decided not to. She knew Taylor was still recovering from the first one and she knew she was a bit herself. "Alright, well, good night! See you boys later!"

Gadget and Taylor waved goodbye and watched as she shut the door before her.

There was an awkward silence that filled the air between them. Taylor was currently standing there wishing his arousal away. Of course, he WOULD be stuck with Gadget at a time when he was completely turned on! He silently wished Evie had not turned him on like that, though he knew he couldn't blame her. It really didn't take a whole lot to get him going.

"So, how are the twins?" asked Gadget conversationally as he took off his trench coat and set it on the back of the couch.

Taylor was grateful for the distraction. "Oh, they're great! They both laughed for the first time just a little bit ago!" He smiled broadly at the memory.

Gadget smiled at this. "Oh, really? That's fantastic! What did you do to make them laugh?"

Taylor chuckled and shrugged, not feeling like explaining the whole thing. He was currently trying very hard to keep himself from jumping on Gadget and kissing him all over since his man metal was still aching for some proper love making. "Eh, you know me. I was just playing with them and they started laughing."

Gadget nodded. He had seen Taylor play with the twins many times and knew he was great with making them smile and stop crying. "Well, should we bring the twins down here or just leave them upstairs in the bedroom and have the little radio on in case they start crying?"

Taylor gave it some thought; he had originally planned to bring the twins' crib downstairs so that they could stay out in the living room and watch television and maybe eat something from the kitchen, but right now, as he watched Gadget fiddle with the sleeves of his shirt and glance around the room, all he wanted to do was have Gadget to himself. "Well, the baby monitor is right here—" he grabbed the small white radio that was on the hutch next to him and showed it to Gadget. "So, if the twins start to cry, we'll hear them." He made sure the monitor was on. "I just played with them, so they should be getting tired. They have their rattles and toys if they want to play though. So, for now we can just sit on the couch and….." he shrugged, not finishing his sentence. He didn't know what to say, for he knew he couldn't say what he really wanted to do.

Gadget shrugged, not noticing Taylor's nerves. "Okay, sounds good to me."

The two of them sat down on the green couch and waited for the other to say something. Gadget glanced over at his friend who was biting his nails nervously and knew something was up. Normally Taylor would have been a chatter box and talking his ear off, especially after the twins having laughed for the first time. He was always talking about the twins. He turned to his friend and asked, "Is everything okay?"

Taylor nodded. "Yeah. Fine."

Gadget wasn't convinced. "You seem a little….worked up…"

Taylor shook his head. "I'm not."

Gadget knew he wasn't going to get anything out of him, so he decided to guess a bit. "Did something happen between you and Evie?"

Taylor looked at him in confusion. "What?"

Gadget shrugged, having guessed it was obvious. "Did something happen between you and Evie before I got here?"

"What do you mean by that?" his voice was a pitch higher than it should have been. He really didn't want to talk about this in front of Gadget; he was having a tough enough time keeping himself together. He moved his hand over his groin in hopes to calm himself down; it didn't help. Plus, he didn't want Gadget to see what he was doing.

Seeing Taylor get worked up, Gadget tried to reassure him. "Relax, Taylor. It happens." Gadget knew what it was like to have an argument with Penny. He hated those moments, but they were bound to come in a marriage. He had assumed that was what made Taylor so nervous now; he wasn't used to being in a fight with Evie and it left him nervous. Thankfully he and Penny didn't have such arguments often, but when they did, it really put him through Hell. "It's happened to me and Penny before."

Taylor stared at Gadget, believing his friend was talking about getting aroused before having to be separated from Penny. "Is has?"

Gadget nodded. "Yeah, it happens to everyone Taylor. Don't worry about it. Look, we can talk about it if you want."

Taylor's eyes widened. "YOU want to talk about it?"

Gadget nodded. "We can, sure."

"YOU! The guy who gets all shy and nervous when the subject is even brought up?!"

Gadget gave him a look of confusion, not understanding what Taylor was talking about. He didn't get nervous and shy when he wanted to talk about his fights with Penny. Sure, he was proud of them, but at the same time he knew it was good to get it off his chest and talk about. He'd talked about Taylor with this stuff before. "Taylor, I don't know what you're talking about—I don't get nervous and shy about stuff like this-Look, just…Just know that I'm here for you if you want to make yourself feel better…."

"You mean…" Taylor was speechless. Gadget was actually willing to do things with him to make him feel better. "…You'll….." He paused as a large grin came to his face. Gadget truly was the GREATEST friend a guy could ask for. He turned to face Gadget, feeling his arousal awaken all the more. "Okay, Gadget…..if you're sure about this…."

Gadget nodded, still believing they were just going to have a nice chat about marriage and the troubles that can come with it. He didn't mind giving some marriage advice. "Yeah, of course" he turned to face Taylor as well. "Whenever you're ready…"

What Taylor did next was not something he had been expecting. Before Gadget could so much as blink, Taylor had pounced himself on the inspector and brought his lips to meet his own. The kiss was so intense since Taylor was so worked up and as Taylor positioned himself better on top of Gadget, the crime fighter was barely able to grasp what was going on. He couldn't deny that he wasn't enjoying the kisses Taylor was currently giving him, but it had caught him completely off guard.

This was not the first time they had made out; they both remembered several years ago when Taylor had still been dating G2 that they were left alone and wound up kissing each other. They'd shared other moments together since then, but this was the first time they had kissed since the first time.

"Taylor-What-?" Gadget managed to gasp out between breaths and kisses.

"Shhh…." Hushed Taylor. "My man metal just wants you so badly…"

Gadget tensed up a bit at his words. Wait a second…..weren't they just going to have a talk about marriage? Obviously he and Taylor had not been talking about the same thing and it suddenly hit Gadget what had really happened.

"Oh….wait a minute…Taylor—" yet Gadget stopped. He truly was enjoying the moment. He found it hard to make Taylor stop. He enjoyed how Taylor's fingers were slowly starting to run down his chest and peel off his shirt. His own fingers were still mussing up Taylor's blonde hair as they traced over his head and neck. The two of them continued kissing passionately, though Gadget was not nearly as worked up as Taylor since it took a lot longer for him to get aroused. But that didn't matter; he was doing this for Taylor, not himself. He was just helping out a friend. A CLOSE friend. A BEST friend.

There was nothing wrong with that.

Taylor started unbuckling his own pants and buckle and had started fiddling with Gadget's when there was a sharp cry from the little radio that was sitting on the couch between them. Both of them flinched at the sound, pulling apart, and staring down at the innocent white radio.

"Oh….the twins are upset…" mumbled Gadget, having recovered faster.

Taylor turned away from the radio and groaned and whimpered as he lay on his knees above Gadget. He leaned down and hid his face in Gadget's now bare chest in disappointment. "Taylor Tots! You're torturing daddy!" he cried out in misery. Gadget just looked at him in sympathy, glancing down and seeing the bugle in his friend's pants and feeling deeply dory for him. The cries from the radio simply continued and Gadget knew they had to go and take care of them. He gently pushed Taylor off of him and sat up properly, buttoning his shirt back up and zipping up and buckling his pants.

"Well, that's that…." Mumbled Gadget. He ran a hand through his black hair, feeling flustered by the sex they'd nearly had. Taylor just laid there on the couch with a look of despair, knowing the mood was completely ruined since Gadget wouldn't let the kids go un-attended. "Look, Taylor, why don't you just go to the bathroom…..take care of yourself….while I go check on the twins?"

Taylor nodded and swiftly got up and Gadget could hear the bathroom door slam shut a moment later. Taylor was definitely not in a happy mood anymore. Gadget, thankfully not aroused like Taylor was, was able to push aside the moment and check on the twins.

When he entered the room, he smiled down at them from the crib, the cries having gotten louder as he entered. Both twins were crying and fussing so he picked one up, Ollie, he believed, and checked his diaper. No, Ollie didn't need changed. He glanced behind him and found a little green pacifier and grabbed it, gently placing it near Ollie's mouth and waiting for the crying baby to take hold of it. Once the pacifier was in his mouth, little Ollie slowly stopped crying and the tears stopped. He patted Ollie gently on the back before placing him back on his side of crib.

Jimmy was next as Gadget picked him up. Unlike Ollie, Jimmy needed his diaper changed. This was nothing new for the inspector. He looked around and found a changing table on the other side of the room. He laid the infant down on the table and within minutes, the infant had a new diaper. Gadget disposed of the old one in a nearby trash can and picked up Jimmy, who had stopped crying and now happy. He found another pacifier and gave it to Jimmy the same way he had given one to Ollie.

By the time the twins were both back in their cribs and happily sucking on their pacifiers, Taylor had walked into the room with a look of both relief and sadness on his face.

"Feel better?"

Taylor mutely nodded.

"Well…the twins are okay. Ollie just wanted his pacifier and Jimmy needed changed…"

Again, Taylor mutely nodded.

Seeing his friend's silence, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Taylor nodded, but spoke this time. "Yeah….I feel better…."

Gadget nodded. "Good."

"Sorry about….downstairs….but…just as you got here, Evie and I had been making out and she….pretty much turned my man metal on…and….well…I—"

"You don't have to explain, Taylor. I get it. I—" He paused. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Taylor the truth; about how he hadn't realized that was what Taylor was talking about. He knew that if he did that, Taylor would know that Gadget actually hadn't been offering to help him in his moment of need; and for a reason he couldn't understand, he didn't want that. He wanted Taylor to know and believe that no matter what, Gadget would be there for him; even when it comes to sexual encounters.

Gadget smiled and patted Taylor on the back. "Well, now that you feel better, do you want to go back downstairs and watch television…?"

Taylor nodded and as they headed out the door. "Would you mind if we continue making out? You're a really great kisser, you know."

Gadget chuckled, his face going red. "No."

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Author's Note: More slashiness! And I left the ending open for anyone who wants to keep imagining! Enjoy!


	32. Chapter 32

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Magnet, Benji Smith belong to Aline Riva. SPOILERS! This one-shot takes place after "Silver Sentinel" so be sure to have read that before reading this if you do not want the ending to be ruined.

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"Older Women"

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"Geez, come on, Taylor! Sometime today!" grumbled the former captain as he got out of the car his older brother Taylor had been kind enough to help him get. It was a red sports car and he loved the engine in it for it made a great roar when he rammed up the gas. But at the moment, he was not interested in his great new car, for he was impatiently waiting for said brother.

Magnet got out of the car and continued to grumble as he walked up to the front door of Taylor's mansion. This was only the second time he had been to the house and therefore, despite his anger, he couldn't help but be awestruck by it. True, their parents had been filthy rich, but in his years away from the surface, he had forgotten the luxuries he had once lived under.

He took in a deep sigh before ringing the doorbell. He ran a hand over his blonde hair and fixed the black leather jacket he was wearing. He scuffed his shoes on the concrete steps before the front door as he continued to wait. One would think that by ringing the doorbell, if anyone were home, someone would have come to the door by now.

"Seriously? This is ridiculous" griped Magnet as he checked his watch. "The movie is going to be over by the time he even answers the stupid door!"

He continued to wait and there was a part of him that felt the need to just walk in. He twisted the golden doorknob and found that the door was indeed open. He could very easily open the door and step inside and find his brother for himself. Though his better judgment told him that that would be rude and stepping over the line. While Taylor had been kind enough to forgive him for all the years of hiding and never telling him or his family that he was still alive, he still didn't wish to anger his older brother any further. He didn't want to take that risk after having so recently got him back into his life.

Yet after another five minutes of standing out in the crisp cool air and feeling a chill run down his spine, the younger Braydon felt that he no longer had any choice. "Alright, bro, you asked for it. This is YOUR fault for not coming outside and answering your door!" He muttered under his breath as he twisted the doorknob and walked inside.

Once he was inside, Magnet quietly shut the door behind him and fought the urge to take his shoes off at the door. The mansion looked so clean and tidy, which was one of the reasons he didn't feel right being there uninvited.

The short blonde looked around and found no one in sight, not even his brother's wife, Evie. Surely someone had to be home if the front door was unlocked.

Feeling is patience die within him once more, Magnet awkwardly stepped further into the mansion and began poking his head in through every room he came upon. He spotted the stairs off to his right and also found the kitchen off to his left. He continued walking past the stairs and found himself in a large front room area with a large front window with a great view over part of the city.

Still finding no one, Magnet pressed on. He walked through the front room and found himself in what appeared to be a study. Photo frames were everywhere in the room, cluttering the bookshelves and mantels. Curiosity overcame him and he found himself drawn to the frames.

There were a mixture of photos, all from different times and events in Taylor's life. In the middle of one of the many coffee tables stood an elaborate silver frame that held a 5'8' picture of Taylor and Evie on their wedding day. Magnet found himself smiling, for it was the first time he had seen any pictures of Taylor on his second wedding. He remembered his marriage pictures with Delia and the woman he was now married to looked ten times happier than Delia ever did.

Magnet continued looking over the frames and saw a collaboration of pictures of Taylor and Inspector Gadget, Taylor and his Taylor Tots, a senior picture of Benji, and then a whole family photo with everyone in it. Magnet smirked; it appeared Taylor had a nice group of friends. His eyes then drifted to a picture of Benji and G2, though before he could get too good a look at them, a clunking sound from his right alerted him that someone was coming. He quickly straightened up and stepped away from the frames.

Someone was walking towards him, though he couldn't see who it was because the person was carrying such a large cardboard box, which, judging by the way the person was carrying it, was quite heavy. With a grunt, Benji placed the box down and wiped his brow, glad to be rid of his heavy burden. He looked down at the box as he caught his breath, having not seen Magnet yet.

Magnet stared at the man before him for a moment before his annoyance kicked back in. "There you are, Taylor! Did you hear me ring the doorbell?"

Benji looked over at the man in his father's study and blinked. "You talking to me?"

Magnet, unaware that he wasn't speaking to his brother, continued as he crossed his arms. "Of course I'm talking to you! Who do you think I'm talking to?"

Benji looked around and behind himself as though looking for anyone else who could be in the room. He had never in his life seen this man who was randomly in his father's study. "Umm…..Who do YOU think you're talking to?"

Magnet paused at his question. "I'm talking to YOU!"

"Okay…." Said Benji slowly, trying to understand what was going on. "…..Hi?"

Magnet muttered under his breath. "Geez, Taylor, you're dumber than I thought."

"Taylor?" echoed Benji. Now he was catching on to what was happening. "Taylor is my dad."

Magnet shook his head. He had only half listened since his gaze had turned to the large window and he was looking out it. "No, our father's name was George."

That completely threw poor Benji. "Our? What?" He shook his head and pointed to himself. "Look, I think we started on the wrong foot." He smiled warmly, a smile only a true Braydon could give. He offered his hand out to Magnet. "I'm Benji! Nice to meet you!"

"Benji?" Magnet turned back to look at Benji and seemed to see him for the first time. This was not Taylor, his older brother that he was speaking to, this was a carbon copy of him. Now that Magnet was really looking at him, he could see the few subtle differences between father and son. For one, Benji was younger, and though Taylor didn't have any wrinkles yet, Benji clearly had younger looking skin. His eyes were also a hazel color more than the bright blue that Taylor's were. Benji's hair was also a shade darker than Taylor's.

A wave of embarrassment swam over Magnet as he realized his mistake. "Oh, my-I'lm sorry—I thought-" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Wow….heh….I'm sorry….I thought you were my brother, Taylor."

"My dad has a brother?" was Benji's question after the two of them shook hands.

Magnet gave him a sad smile. "Yeah…..But, until recently….he thought I was dead."

"What's your name?"

"Well, my name used to be Raymond. But, now I'm known as Magnet."

Benji thought about that for moment before the grin on his face widened, "so….If you're my dad's brother, that makes you…..my uncle?"

Magnet thought about it as well and started to nod when he was suddenly winded by the huge bear hug Benji was suddenly giving him. Benji wrapped his arms tightly around the man who he now knew to be his uncle. "Hi, Uncle Magnet!"

Magnet groaned slightly at the force of his hug, but after a moment, he patted Benji on the back with a smile and accepted the hug. He certainly took the news better than Taylor had; though that was probably because Benji didn't know the full story. As they parted, Magnet decided it would be best if he didn't know.

The two of them drew apart and looked at each other. "I'm Benji Smith. Dad didn't know about me until about five years ago…."

Magnet nodded slowly at this; pulling the pieces together as the two of them stood there in the study. Benji was the same height as Taylor and wore a sweat shirt and baggy pants. It was no wonder that he had mistaken him for Taylor. Yet one thing didn't make sense. "Wait, how old are you?"

"Nineteen."

That made Magnet narrow his eyes. "But Taylor is 34."

Benji nodded.

Magnet stood there for a moment and did the math in his head. "If you're nineteen…..then Taylor would have to have been…."

Magnet was never able to finish his sentence for there was the sound of someone coming into the front door. Benji stepped away from Magnet and looked out of the study and looked to see who it was. He smiled when he saw that it was G2 carrying in her purse and a bag of groceries. "Benji?" she called through the house.

Benji, having forgotten Magnet, happily went over to his girlfriend and pulled her close before giving her a kiss. "Did you bring the movie?" He peered eagerly into the bag G2 was still holding. The cybernetic android nodded; a smirk on her lips as she watched Benji's antics. She watched as Benji pulled on a side of the plastic bag to see what was inside. She quickly pulled the bag away so he couldn't see.

Benji immediately pouted and relented.

Magnet, having been forgotten in the study, slowly walked back out towards the front door where Benji had gone and his eyes immediately landed on the beautiful dark haired woman standing next to who he now knew as his nephew.

G2 gave Benji one last kiss on the cheek before saying, "Okay, now I still have Alice in the car. I just wanted to drop this off real fast and I'll be back later on after dropping off Alice with Gadget." She gave Benji the movie after taking it out of the bag.

Benji nodded. "Alright. I'll see you later." They kissed and then G2 was out the door before Magnet could be noticed by her. Once G2 was out the door, Benji turned back and his eyes landed on the stunned Magnet. Upon seeing Magnet's surprised and slightly impressed look, he asked, "What?"

Magnet's face slowly turned red. "W-Who's she?"

Benji turned back to look at the front door before looking back at Magnet. He pointed behind him at the door. "Her? That's G2. My girlfriend." Magnet just stared at him for a moment before finally coming back to his sense. He doubled over and started laughing. Benji could do nothing but stand there awkwardly as he waited for the man to stop his laughing. "Is….something funny?"

Magnet was unable to respond for several minutes while he contained his laughter. He wiped away a tear and finally collected himself after another minute. He shook his head as he imagined G2, the beautiful woman that she was. Her could picture her long dark hair that had just the right amount of waves to it to give it volume and body. Given, Magnet had only seen her briefly before she left, but he had seen enough. She had the perfect body and curves in just the right places.

And she was dating Benji.

Oh, it made him so happy to think about it.

Benji scratched behind his ear, finally having had enough. "Okay, seriously, what is going on?"

Magnet sucked in a breath after all his laughing and walked over to his nephew, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "I'm proud of you, buddy?"

Benji pointed to himself. "Me? What did I do?"

"You're dating an older, beautiful woman" replied Magnet as though it was a simple question.

Benji frowned, not understanding. "And….that's a good thing? I always kinda felt guilty and weird about it, to be honest…..It was one of the reasons I almost didn't ask her out…."

Magnet gave him a sympathetic look and patted Benji on the chest with his free hand. "It's okay, buddy. Point is, you overcame it and took initiative."

Benji smiled nervously, thrilled that his uncle was proud of him, yet not understanding why. "Yeah, yeah…..Umm….But I'm confused. You're saying it's a GOOD thing?"

Magnet nodded. "Dating older women is the way to go! That's where you get all the best ones!"

Benji just blinked at him.

Magnet shook his head, amused. "You're young, kid. You'll understand better later in life." He patted him on the shoulder and let him go. "For right now though, just now you're doing the right thing."

"Who's doing the right thing?" came the voice of Taylor himself as he and Evie walked down the stairs. He was wearing his pajamas and Evie was wearing a silk nightgown. When she spotted Magnet and Benji she gave a squeak and quickly turned to go back up the stairs to change. Taylor watched her go with a frown and shrugged it off. He didn't care who saw him in his pajamas. It was now Magnet and Benji.

"There you are!" growled Magnet as he stepped over to his brother. He glared at Taylor. "I've been waiting down here for like 20 minutes!"

Taylor just stared at him as he passed to head to the kitchen. "Why?"

Magnet gave him an incredulous look. "Why?! Because we had plans to go and see a movie, do you not remember?!"

Taylor stopped in the center of his kitchen and thought about it. "That's today?"

"Yeah!"

Taylor looked down at his hand and started counting his fingers. "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday….."He paused.

"Thursday" offered Benji.

"Thank you! Thursday…." He continued counting on his fingers. "Friday….Oh…"

Magnet nodded. "Yeah, today! Saturday!"

Taylor sighed and glanced over at his brother. "Sorry….I forgot…." He went to open the fridge and pulled out the milk. As he placed it on the counter, he looked up and saw Benji. "You're not with G2?"

Benji shook his head. "Not yet. She just came by and dropped off my movie that she borrowed. She'll be back after she drops off Alice." Taylor nodded as he got himself a glass.

Magnet leaned against the counter in the center of the kitchen and gave Benji a sly smile. "Yeah, she came. And I got to see that babe."

Benji looked downward at hiss comment. "Please don't call her that" he mumbled. He didn't like the idea of anymore talking about G2 in any way of the sort.

Taylor was just putting away the milk as Magnet continued. "I'm proud of him, Taylor. You're son is a real chip off the old block."

The older Braydon brother looked at Magnet as he took a long sip of his milk, leaving him with a mustache. "What do you mean by that?"

Evie then walked into the room, now dressed in a sweater and jeans. "Hello, Magnet."

"Hey, Eves" greeted Magnet offhandedly. He focused his gaze of Taylor. "Oh, come on! You know what I mean!" He pointed to Benji. "The kid is dating an older woman! You should be proud of him!"

"G2 is not old" snipped Taylor before taking another gulp of milk. Evie giggled when she saw he had a mustache and was quick to lick it away with a few kisses. Taylor smiled before getting back to the conversation. Evie then went about making some toast. He didn't like what Magnet was getting at.

Magnet guffawed at his comment. "Compared to HIM she is!" He pointed to Benji. "He's nineteen!"

Taylor's frown deepened. "I know how old my son is…"

Magnet snorted. "You don't know all the days of the week, Taylor. It's hard sayin' what you know."

Taylor fumed as he angrily set his glass on the counter. "I know there are eight of them!"

"Seven, dear" supplied Evie offhandedly as she bit into her toast and stepped up beside her husband. "And don't slam the glass on the counter. They'll shatter.".

Taylor's eyes never left Magnet. "That's what I said! Seven!"

Magnet shook his head. "What are you getting so bent out of shape for? All I said was that you should be proud your son is dating an older woman."

Benji fidgeted with his hands. "I'd rather forget about our ages…."

Magnet turned to his nephew. "Oh, no, don't be ashamed of it! Besides, she's hot!"

Taylor crossed his arms. "Yeah, we know. Would you just drop it already?" He took another sip and pounded it to the counter again.

Magnet laughed, his arms out. "I'm just saying! The hot ones are the older ones!"

Taylor shook his head. "No, they're not! It's weird dating older women! Can't you find ones your own age?"

Magnet made a look of disgust at the thought and shrugged. "Eh, none that really suit my taste. The young ones are all gushy and needy and clingy! The older ones have all the spark!"

The older Braydon sighed. "Oh, sure….Is that what you say about Mayor Wilson? Does she have that….'spark'? " He practically vomited just thinking about it. He took the last gulp of his milk and slammed the glass even harder.

Magnet pointed an accusing finger at his brother. "Hey! She is all woman! Don't say anything bad about her! I'm sure our sex life is better than yours"

Evie, who had been staying silent through most of this, had finally had enough. She slammed the bag of bread she had been holding onto the counter and turned to face them. "Oh my God, you men are all such idiots!" The three men all stared at her with slight fear in their eyes. "DISGUSTING ones!"

They all waited to see what more she had to say, and she had plenty. She walked over to the three of them. She pointed to Benji. "Benji! Don't listen to your Uncle! He's a sick person who's been living under water for FAR too many years!" Taylor couldn't help but laugh at that while Magnet stood there dumbfounded. "And YOU!" she rounded on Taylor. She snatched the glass from Taylor. "Would you STOP slamming my good glasses on the counter!" Taylor blinked at her. She then addressed them both. "Now would you both stop fighting about this idiotic topic and just respect one another's tastes in women! Geez! " Lastly, she turned back to Benji, only with a calmer demeanor. "Benji, I'm happy for you and G2 and all that matters is that you love one another."

Benji smiled and nodded.

Evie gave a last glare to Magnet and Taylor before leaving the kitchen, leaving them staring off behind her. Taylor pointed at her after a minute of silence. "Now see, THAT's spark!"

Magnet nodded. "Yeah, I'll give you that. That one does have spark…."

Taylor smiled smugly. "She's MY spark." He looked to Magnet. "AND she's my age."

Magnet pursed his lips together and shook his head. "That's a very rare thing, bro…."

Benji, hoping that the two of them wouldn't start at it again, picked up the movie G2 dropped off and raised it in the air. "Movie, anyone?"

Both Braydon brothers turned to the younger blonde and smiled. "Yeah!"

"Finally!" groused Magnet.

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Author's Note: My first time writing Magnet. Hoped everyone liked it.


	33. Chapter 33

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva. This one-shot is actually a sequel of sorts to "Chocolate Factory" which, I believe, was my second one-shot. (Chapter 2). So, if you haven't read it, this one-shot may confuse you a bit. I came up with this idea randomly and well, I suppose I just couldn't let it go. Enjoy! Takes place after "Man and Machine" and before "Rise of Lazarus".

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"Man-Metal Flavored Chocolate"

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"Hmmm! Yum! I taste delicious!" exclaimed Deputy Taylor Braydon as he stood in one of the employee lounges at the Riverton Chocolate Factory. He was covered in milky chocolate from head to toe after having literally swum in a huge vat of chocolate.

Inspector Gadget sighed heavily beside him and placed his face in one of his hands. Taylor, oblivious to the inspector's humiliation, licked happily at his fingers like a little kid. As though the scene was mortifying enough for Gadget, Taylor was also dripping chocolate all over the lounge's floors, including part of the rug that was underneath a round table used for eating.

Just when he had been trying to convince Chief Quimby that Taylor was getting used to being an authority figure as his new deputy, Taylor had to go and pull something like this. The chief had gone after the head of the factory and start pleading for forgiveness and in turn, try to persuade the factory not to sue the police department for such behavior, not to mention Taylor himself.

However, the chocolate covered deputy didn't seem aware that he could easily be sued and continued licking himself like a cat as he enjoyed the chocolate covering him.

With a grunt of annoyance, Gadget snapped, "Taylor, would you please stop licking yourself for one moment and THINK about what you just did out there?!" He couldn't believe how mellow and content Taylor was acting. He also couldn't believe those words had just left his mouth. Never did he think he would have to tell someone to stop licking themselves.

Taylor blinked at him. "Oh, I'm sorry." He lifted his right hand, which, at the moment, had been untouched. "You want some?"

Gadget shook his head and slumped his shoulders. "No!" he sighed in frustration while Taylor went back to licking his hand. "Taylor! Don't you get it?! Don't you realize what you just did?!"

Taylor gave him a baffled expression. "Took the swim into a vat of chocolate?"

"You RUINED hundreds of gallons worth of chocolate, Taylor! Chocolate that is now completely spoiled because of you!" When he saw that Taylor was still looking at him blankly, he stepped closer; though not close enough for the chocolate dripping off his friend's hair to get on him. He went to touch Taylor on the shoulder out of habit, but immediately flinched back when the palm of his hand became covered in chocolate. "I mean—" He groaned, no longer knowing what to do with his hand.

"Lick it!" encouraged the blonde.

Gadget just held his hand out before him awkwardly. "No, I am NOT going to lick my hand."

"It's tasty!"

"Taylor—No!"

"It's man metal flavored chocolate!"

Gadget paused. "Excuse me?"

"Man metal flavored chocolate!" repeated Taylor as though it was obvious. He gestured to himself. He shook his head with a smile, clearly amused by Gadget's confusion. "My man metal…." He pointed to himself. "…..covered in chocolate! Man metal flavored chocolate."

Gadget just stared at him. He then watched as a drop of chocolate dribbled to the floor from his hand. He gasped and started looking for something to wipe it off from.

"Don't bother" called over Taylor when Gadget went over to the table to find an empty Kleenex box. "Just lick it off your hand. And do it quick too, those guys in the lab coats will be back any minute to say the shower is ready. Why else do you think I'm licking this all off so quickly? If I had my way, I would lick it all off clean myself." He paused and gave it a thought. "Maybe I'd even let you help me."

Gadget paused in mid-motion at his words. Did his best friend just say he would let him help lick chocolate off his body? The inspector felt his face go hot. The dark haired man let the comment go and walked back over to him. "Taylor, chief Quimby is furious with you."

"Nothing new there" commented Taylor offhandedly between licks. "What did I do THIS time?"

Gadget just stared at him once more, feeling particularly more sarcastic than usual. "You take your time with that."

Taylor just gave him a curious look and about a minute later, Gadget could practically see the light bulb go off in his friend's mind as Taylor slowly nodded. "Oh…..this…..riiiight." He looked down at himself, still covered in chocolate and couldn't help but chuckle.

Gadget, meanwhile, considered his chocolate covered hand before quickly glancing up at Taylor, who was distracted with his own chocolate. The inspector took his index finger and was about to taste the chocolate when the door burst open. He quickly wiped the chocolate on his trench coat, no longer caring.

In walked Chief Quimby, who all but snarled upon seeing Taylor. He snapped at him, "Get going, Braydon! Follow those two to the back of the employee's lounge where you can take a shower. They found some spare clothes for you to wear. All but a shirt."

Gadget frowned at that. "He can just wear my trench coat, chief" he offered, already taking off his coat.

Quimby said nothing, just glared at everyone in the room. He had not yet forgotten the conversation he had had with Gadget just before the incident had occurred. Gadget knew he was thinking about it too. The cyborg knew that after this, he would never be able to convince Quimby that Taylor was ready. Though after the two assistants took Taylor further into the back rooms, Gadget was far from prepared to hear the words Quimby said next.

The older man walked up to Gadget and said quietly into his ear, "I'll have you know, Gadget" he spoke roughly behind his mustache. "I'm firing Braydon once we get back to the station. Just thought I would give you a heads up."

Gadget's brown eyes went wide at the revelation and he quickly turned to the chief of police. "Chief, you can't do that!"

Chief Quimby, his arms crossed over his broad chest, raised an eyebrow at him. "No? Last time I checked, Gadget, I WAS chief of police!"

Gadget shook his head desperately, already able to see Taylor's hurt expression when he was told the news. "No—I—I mean—You can-But!" he sighed as his shoulders fell. "Please—Chief. He LOVES being a deputy—"

Chief Quimby's frown deepened as he un-crossed his arms and pointed a finger towards where Taylor had left. "That-IMBICILE—just cost us nine thousand dollars in damage and profit loss! Gadget, we can't AFFORD that! Mayor Wilson will have a FIT when she finds out!"

Gadget fidgeted nervously, not knowing what to do or say on his friend's behalf. He had to admit, that was a very steep price to pay for a small slip like Taylor had made, but he refused to see his friend lose his job over it. He had only known Taylor for a short amount of time, but already the two of them had gotten rather close. He was the first friend Gadget had ever truly had, even in his childhood, and he feared it would be ruined if Taylor lost his job now, after having just gotten it. He frantically wracked his brain trying to think of a way out of this mess.

Then, a thought came to him. "Taylor will pay for it!"

Quimby looked at him strangely. "Of course, he's paying for it! He's losing his job!"

"No, no! I mean, he will actually pay for it! The nine thousand! He's a millionaire, remember?"

Quimby paused, recalling that Taylor was in fact a millionaire.

Gadget pressed on, hoping he wasn't pushing his luck at the same time. "If—If he pays for the damage and profit loss-Will you allow him to keep his job as my deputy in return?"

Chief Quimby placed his hands on his hips in a resolute way. He stared at Gadget in deep contemplation, thinking over Gadget's deal. He saw the same pleading look in Gadget's eyes he had seen when Gadget had first become an inspector and become a cyborg. The same look he had given him when he had denied giving Gadget more suitable cases than just saving kittens from trees.

He had been wrong not to give Gadget a chance back then; perhaps he would be wrong to not give a chance this time. Gadget had proven himself to have good ideas time and time again. He shook his head, already knowing he was going to regret his decision. "Alright, Gadget. If he pays for the damage, I'll let him keep his job." '

The smile that appeared on Gadget's face was one of pure delight.

"But!" warned Quimby, pointing an accusing finger at Gadget. "I'll be keeping a close eye on you two and if anything more happens, I'm counting YOU as responsible, you hear me, Gadget?"

Gadget nodded. "Yes, sir. Absolutely, sir."

Quimby seemed to have lost his fury at that moment and turned to leave. "Alright, I'll see you both back at the station."

Gadget groaned in relief once Quimby was gone and looked up at the ceiling. "Whew…."

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Gadget was waiting on the couch in the lounge when Taylor finally came back out. Since he was wearing borrowed clothes since his were soiled and ruined, he was wearing no shirt. They had been unable to find a spare one. Gadget, without looking up, raised up his trench coat. "Here, wear this."

Taylor smiled. "Oh, thanks. I was starting to think I was going to have to go without a shirt. Not that I would mind, but…..I don't think the ladies would be able to have handled it." He put on Gadget's coat. "You are saving ladies by giving me this, Gadget."

"Saving ladies?"

"Yep, they were pass out cold from seeing my handsome man metal and they could easily get hurt if they faint and fall and hit something."

Gadget finally stood up, remembering the conversation he had had with Quimby. Taylor had been so close to losing his job. "Taylor…."

"Sorry, buddy, no more chocolate" lamented Taylor. "I told you—you should have had some when you had the chance."

Gadget shook his head. "No, not that! Look, Taylor. You need to understand—"

"Here are your clothes Mr. Braydon. We just put them in this bag for you" came the voice of one of the lab assistants. He handed Taylor a bag of his clothes. The man left as Taylor looked inside. "Hey! They didn't even wash them!" He paused. "Ooh, I have chocolate covered clothes!" he looked to Gadget. "Seriously, how many people can honestly say that?!" He laughed and looked back down at them again. "They probably just didn't want to pay the dry cleaners bill."

"Eh, yeah, about that, Taylor?"

Taylor smiled at his friend.

"No, they won't pay for your dry cleaning, because you just cost them nine thousand dollars in profit and damage!"

Taylor's blue eyes went wide. "Wow! That's a lot of money!"

Gadget nodded. "Yeah! And….Quimby nearly fired you for it!" Gadget winced. He hadn't wanted to tell his friend, but he knew he had to. Taylor needed to understand the seriousness of his mistake.

The blonde all but went into a panic. "What?! I'm FIRED?!"

Gadget stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder before he could get more hysterical. "No! he NEARKY fired you! I made a deal with him to keep your job!"

"A deal?"

Gadget nodded. "I told him, that….if you paid the nine thousand…instead of the police department paying for it…..He would let you keep your job…"

Taylor didn't say anything for a long time as he thought it over. Gadget wondered if his friend would become mad for putting him in such a situation, but Taylor simply shrugged. "Nine thousand?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I'll pay it."

"You will?"

"Sure, if it'll help me keep my job. I love being your deputy Gadget. I love the idea of me being out there preventing evil. Being a hero." He smiled at his friend and idol before hugging him. Gadget accepted it. He had not expected this sort of reaction. "Thanks for helping me keep my job."

Gadget patted his on the back as they broke apart. "No problem. Just…..try not to do anything like this again. No more screw ups. You're a deputy, Taylor. You have to start acting like one. Now, come on. The chief's waiting for us back at the station."

As they walked out of the room, Taylor spoke, "Gadget?"

"Yeah?"

"I think all that chocolate is getting to me…"

"Why do you say that?"

"I have a stomach ache…."

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Author's Note: Yes, I should have written this long ago, and probably right after the first part of it ("Chocolate Factory" – Chapter 2) but, I only just now thought about it. It was nice going back to this time in the series. Enjoy!


	34. Chapter 34

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Benji, Evie, Eddie Lazarus, Alicia, and Lula Smith belong to Aline Riva. Takes place after "Doomsday Machine".

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"Trick or Treat – Part 1"

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"Happy Halloween!" announced Inspector Gadget happily as the door to the Braydon Mansion was opened. The inspector, who could usually be found wearing his typical grey trench coat and matching pants and hat, was actually dressed up as a wizard. He wore long navy blue robes with long wide sleeves that came from several inches. On top of his dark hair he wore a large matching sorcerer's hat with gold stars and moons on it. Underneath the long robes he wore pants of course, and pointy black shoes. A gold belt was tied tightly around his waist with tassels on the end. The layers of clothing held different patterns and materials to them, giving his costume and old fashioned look.

It was Evie who had opened the door, which held a fall wreath with pumpkins on it. She grinned widely at her husband's best friend. "Hello, Gadget!" she greeted. They both took a moment to look at each other's costume as she held onto the door. Evie was wearing a dress with a brown corset and maroon skirt which came down to her knees. A layer of faded lace overlapped it and the sleeves, which were down and exposing her shoulders, matched the lacey material. Beads of pearls and fake gold jewelry draped along her neck. She wore black hose and high brown boots underneath her dress. Her dark blonde hair, which was normally tied in a low ponytail, was ratted out and sticking on end, only contained with a matching maroon band of material tied to the side. Gadget also noted her heavy eye make-up.

"Are you are a wizard?" she asked and brought him out of his thoughts.

Gadget nodded as he held up a thin twisted stick. "Hence the wand" he chuckled. He then motioned at Evie's outfit. "And you are….a pirate?"

"A pirate wench" she clarified. She leaned a bit towards him and spoke quietly. "And as you can imagine, Taylor's giddy about it, since I'm HIS wench."

Gadget laughed. "I can imagine." There was the sound of a door shutting and both of them looked to the driveway, where several cars were parked. At the end was the Gadget Mobile and what looked like, Super Woman, a bloody zombie, and a little pink princess were getting out of the car; the little princess in Super Woman's arms. Gadget smiled fondly at his family and admired the orange and purple sunset beyond them.

"Where is my candy?! Why don't I have any candy yet, G Man?" wailed the car.

Gadget rolled his eyes and sighed. "Gadget Mobile, you already have ten pounds worth of Skittles in your many compartments! How much more candy do you need?" he called over. Penny, dressed as Super Woman, walked up to him and handed Hope over, who was dressed as a pink princess. Maxie stayed a few paces behind them, testing out his zombie mask and fiddling with the tattered looking costume he was wearing. His costume consisted of a tan long sleeved shirt that looked like it'd been torn with fake blood stains on it. His mask was gory with one eye looking larger than the other and the eyes were a hollow white themselves. The mouth was gruesomely open with large teeth coming out of it.

"You know, a car gets tired of the same candy all the time! You try having nothin' but Skittles all the time! See how YOU feel!" continued Gadget Mobile.

Maxie looked up at Gadget. "He can't even EAT candy, though, right? So why is he complaining?"

Gadget shrugged his shoulders, his wizard robes billowing in the cool wind. "He just likes to complain, I suppose" he spoke quietly in hopes Gadget Mobile wouldn't hear him.

Evie, who was still standing at the door, urged them inside with her hand. "Well, come on in, you guys!" She moved so they could go through the door. "Maxie, inside Emily, Alice, and Grace are playing if you want to play with them for a bit before we go. Benji is here too."

Maxie, who had taken off his mask, beamed up at her. "Okay!" He put on the mask. "I'll try to scare them!" He went bolting into the living room.

Penny shook her head as she watched her son go. "If we hear screaming, we'll know why" she commented dryly. Evie shut the door behind them and smiled at Penny's outfit. Penny was wearing a tight fitting blue leotard with red boots that came to her knees and a long red cape tied around her neck. The large logo for Super Woman was broadly on her chest. Penny then wore her long blonde hair in pig tails tied in red ribbon, quite like she used to when she was a young girl.

Evie went to comment on her friend's costume, when Gadget beat her to it. "Grace is here?"

Evie turned to him and nodded. "Yeah….." she carefully chose her words, having not been around long enough to fully know how comfortable Gadget really was with the topic. She had never actually met Alicia, though she had heard much about her and her past relationship with Gadget. "And….Alicia is here too…Alicia and Eddie."

Gadget blinked at this, his bright eyes wide. "Really? Eddie?" He looked off to the living room. He then muttered more quietly to himself, "I wouldn't have guessed Eddie would be partaking in something like Trick or Treating."

Penny titled her head to one side. "Why not?" She adjusted her hold on little Hope, who was waving around a tiny wand with a gold star on the tip of it happily in her chubby hand.

Gadget looked at the two women before him, stooping down to pick up Hope's wand once Hope drops it. He unconsciously hands the wand back to Hope, who had started fussing when she lost it. "Well, it's Halloween." He took a moment to tickle Hope under the chin, who giggled in response and turned her head into Penny's shoulder. "And Halloween is technically the celebration for the Devil Himself, am I right?"

Evie shrugged. "That might be true, but you can't think of Halloween that way. Halloween is only perceived and celebrated that way if you want it to be. It can also be seen as a happy holiday where you dress in cute and silly and scary costumes and ask for candy. It's a time to be silly and have a good time. You don't have to look at it so morbidly."

Gadget shrugged. "I guess, I just find it odd that Eddie would be a part of Halloween." Hope gave a cry of happiness as she played with her wand and it brought Gadget out of his musings. "Well, aren't you adorable, sweetie?" He cooed at her.

"Love her little outfit! I'll bet you had fun finding a costume for her! Heaven's know Taylor and I had a fun time picking out costumes for the twins!" giggled Evie.

"What are they dressed as?" asked Gadget.

Evie's grin grew larger. "Why don't you see for yourselves? Everyone is on the other room."

"We're the last ones here?" exclaimed Penny with a frown. "Had we known that we would have been here sooner."

Gadget sighed with a bland look on his face. "I blame myself. I couldn't find my hat…." He took a hand and adjusted his large pointy wizard's hat.

They followed Evie into the front room where indeed everyone was waiting around for things to start. The kids could be heard giggling and poking fun at each other and their costumes. Alice could be heard yelping in fear as she ran away from Maxie, who scared her since he was dressed as a zombie.

The front living room was a large room with a large window where the last of the sunshine was seeping through and one could see the hills behind the mansion and the auburn leaves sparkling in the light.

Chairs and couches were all around the room, leaving there to be plenty of places for everyone to sit, even this many. Gadget walked into the room and his eyes first landed on Maxie who was teasing and scaring one of his many daughters, Alice, who was hiding behind a plush chair that G2 was sitting in.

Little Alice was dressed up as Jasmine, the princess from the fairytale known as Aladdin. Her long dark hair she had inherited from both her parents worked nicely with the outfit. His long shiny hair was pulled back into a low ponytail similar way the princess wore it. Her outfit was purple with lacy sleeves and gold bands at the end. She wore a little tiara on the top of head. She wore little matching cloth shoes that were pointy at the end.

G2 watched from her perch on the green chair as Maxie continued to frighten her. "Oh, Maxie, leave her alone" she chastised softly.

Maxie took off his max to pout at her. "But, Aunt G2, I'm supposed to be a zombie! I'm supposed to scare people!"

G2 just smiled and crossed her legs as she sat there, taking the long furry tail that was part of her costume and making sure it wasn't getting ruined. She was dressed up as Cat Woman. She was wearing a skin tight black leotard that came down into a slight v-neck around her neck. Her dark hair was sleeked back and poker straight and was held back but a thin black headband with furry cat ears on both sides. A long tail was the final detail to her costume.

Gadget couldn't help but blush at his ex-wife. Penny saw his look and though she loved G2 and once saw her as a mother-figure back when she and Gadget had first gotten together, Penny couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. She pulled Gadget closer by the arm and held onto him tightly. It had never been a problem before, but now, with G2 dressed the way she was, Penny couldn't help but feel that way.

"Cat Woman" she stated.

G2 smiled up at Penny, and both of them were immediately playing along. In the world of comics they would be considered enemies. "Super Woman…." They laughed a moment later, both proving they weren't at all serious.

On the other side of the room sat Lula and Emily on the couch. Beside them sat Eddie, Alicia, and Grace sitting near each other. In the middle of the floor on a multi-colored blanket sat the Taylor Tots, playing with little rattles shaped like smiling ghosts.

Penny looked down at them and gushed. "Awww, they're dressed as little pumpkins!"

It was true; little Jimmy and Ollie were dressed in little pumpkin costumes, making them look like adorable little orange balls of cuteness. They each wore identical outfits and identical stem hats that finished the outfit. They wore little orange slippers on their feet as well. In their chubby hands they held ghost-shaped rattles and they wore large grins on their faces, thin strands of their blonde hair getting into their eyes a bit.

"I think I like their costumes the best" came the warm voice of Eddie Lazarus from the couch as he sat with his family. He was watching the twins affectionately. "It's nice to see our future leaders look so happy in our youth…"

Everyone smiled at his comment, yet Gadget knew the true meaning behind it. He looked up at Eddie and did a double take on his outfit. The well-built man wore white biblical looking robes and wore a rope for a belt. The robes came down to his ankles and over his feet he wore sandals that looked like they'd been hand-made. It then clicked with Gadget exactly what Eddie was meant to be; God. How clever of Eddie Lazarus to dress up as Himself, even though no one else save for Alicia, Grace, and himself would truly understand the meaning of it.

Alicia, who was sitting beside him, wore similar looking clothes. She looked like she had just come out of the bible, possibly meant to be Mother Earth herself. Her robes were a dark rich green with multiple layers similar to his own. They came down tightly around her bodice, where the material changed and held floral prints that seemed flawless in the material. She wore her hair down in long curls and she wore a halo of flowers and branches that looked like it had been made in a field of flowers. Her pale complexion went perfect with the outfit.

Then, sitting on the floor and talking with Emily was Grace. She was dressed in a white frilly dress and white hose. Her shoes were black and had little buttons on the side. She wore fluffy angel wings on her back and she wore a little gold halo which was held up by the wings by a thin wire. Gadget couldn't help but smile. Grace really was a little angel; she meant so much to him just like the rest of his children.

He waved awkwardly at the trio. "Hello, Lazarus, Alicia."

Lazarus nodded to him and Alicia smiled with a wave. "Hi, Gadget. Nice costume. Wizard?"

Gadget nodded. "Yes. And you are…Mother Earth?"

Alicia shrugged. "Mother Nature, but…same difference…"

Grace turned around and looked up at the man she considered her father. "Daddy!" She quickly got up from sitting with Emily and bounded over to Gadget to eagerly give him a hug. Gadget knelt down and hugged him, closing his eyes and soaking in the moment with the girl he considered his daughter.

They parted and Grace sat back down with Emily. Emily was actually wearing a long red wig to go along with her outfit, which was blocking the long blonde hair she normally had. The girl was wearing a sleek mint green dress with puffy purple sleeves and little fake gems along the oval neck line. She wore little mint green shoes to go along with it. Gadget couldn't figure out who she was meant to be.

Seeing his confusion, Evie leaned close to his ear and said, "She's meant to be Ariel. You know, the little mermaid? Obviously she can't have fins, but that's a little dress and wig that's meant for Ariel."

Gadget nodded. He was unfamiliar with fairytale princesses. It was Penny's job to keep track of all that stuff.

Lastly, there was Lula.

Lula sat closer to G2 in a chair on her own. She too was sitting with her legs crossed and she grinned up at Gadget. Once again, Penny couldn't help but feel a wave of jealousy wave over her. Lula had not been Gadget's wife, but the two of them had slept together and therefore Penny still felt the need to keep a close eye. She shook her head. Lula was her friend; as was G2. She didn't understand why she was feeling this way!

Lula was dressed as a nurse; how appropriate. It was not a uniform Lula normally wore even though she was technically a doctor. Instead of the normal hospital shoes, and doctor's coat, she was wearing a short white dress that came above her knees. The upper part was built like a short sleeved blouse that came down just enough to show off her chest. On top of her short blonde hair she wore a small round nurse's hat. She wore black high heels to finish the look off.

"Wow, Lula….You look…" Gadget trailed off, unable to finish. Penny poked him in the side. "….Nice…."

"Thanks, Gadget."

"Where's-?"

"Benji?" offered Lula, cutting him off. She pointed a finger behind Gadget and Penny, who turned around. Benji walked down the stairs briskly and smiled at everyone as he stepped over to Gadget and Penny.

"Oh, you guys made it!" he beamed. There, before them, stood a close look-alike to Gadget himself. It was almost as though he were looking in a mirror. Save for some obvious differences in the face, Benji would have been identical to him.

"Is that my trench coat?" croaked Gadget, his voice a little high from the shock.

Benji looked down at his outfit. It was true, for Halloween Benji Braydon had dressed up as none other than: Inspector Gadget. "Oh….uh….Yeah, actually. Mom had found it from when you left one at the lab once. She said I could wear it. The hat and pants are mine though. I just went and got them so they would match your outfit." He paused with a frown. "Hope you don't mind."

Gadget nearly missed his concern for he was too busy noticing Benji's hair. "Is that a wig or did you actually dye your hair?" He took a hand and touched Benji's dark hair.

Benji took a hand and adjusted his hair. "No, it's a wig. I'm a blonde and…..while I don't mind wearing a black wig…I really don't think I'm meant to have dark hair…." The wig looked similar to how Gadget's hair was cut. It was amazing.

"I think it's cool! I never would have guessed someone would dress up as me! I'm nothing special!" There was an outcry of disagreement from all the adults in the room. Gadget chuckled. "Where's Taylor?" Taylor was the one who he wanted to see; he wanted to know what his best friend had dressed up as.

Benji snickered a bit. "Dad had some trouble with his wig, so I had to help him keep it on. His outfit is weird. I don't know why he wanted to dress up as that, but he found it funny…"

Evie sighed loudly, placing a hand on her hips. "He recently watched the movie the character is from and he just HAD to go with it. He ordered the costume online."

Gadget turned to her. "Well, what's he dressed up as? What movie?"

Evie pointed to the stairs. "Look for yourself."

Gadget turned back around in time to see Taylor reach the bottom on the stairs. "Gadget!" he cried out happily once his bright blue eyes landed on his best friend. Gadget was immediately tackled in a large hug and he could feel his lungs beg for release; Taylor was hugging him so tightly. "Gadget! I'm glad you're here! Check out my costume! Check it out! Check it out!" He was like an excited little kid. As Taylor hugged him, Gadget noticed something bushy, curly, and slightly scratchy was in his face.

He released Gadget so the inspector could check out his outfit.

Taylor was wearing what appeared to be a thick heavy brown trench coat of some sort; though nothing like his own grey one. This was meant for more outdoor weather. Underneath he wore several layers of sloppy clothes. What appeared to be a dark turtle neck, then a lose fitting orange colored vest and then the heavy brown coat over top. He wore gray pants that were several inches too short for him and ridiculous looking brown socks to cover his ankles and slip on brown shoes. The sleeves of the coat seemed to come down too long and the coat hung on his frame strangely. Then there was the wig. Gadget had never seen such erratic hair before. Instead of Taylor's usual short blonde hair, he was wearing a dark brown afro wig. The wig stuck out at odd angle and came out several inches from his head.

It looked as though he had just stuck his tongue into an electric socket.

Gadget opened and closed his mouth several times. "Who…..are you?"

"I'm Marv!" cried out Taylor. When Gadget didn't immediately nod and show his understanding, he grunted in slight annoyance. "You know, Marv! From that movie where the kid is left at home and the robbers try to rob his house! I'm one of those robbers! From the Wet Bandits!"

Gadget chuckled nervously, still not sure what to think of his friend's costume. Though thankfully Gadget didn't have to say anything, for Evie chose that moment to step in and announce, "Okay, is everyone ready to go trick or treating?"

All the children in the room cried out happily and bounced up and down in excitement. Lula and G2 stood from where they were sitting, both taking their girls and urging them towards the door. Penny gently grabbed Maxie by the shoulder. "Come on, Mr. Zombie. Time to get some candy."

Maxie did a small fist pump and took the jack-o-lantern candy basket that Evie was handing out to all the kids. Each child got one of the baskets from her. As the girls urged the kids out the door, Gadget looked up just in time to see Lazarus walk up to him with a warm smile. "Having fun?" asked the all-knowing Lord of Cyborg City.

Gadget nodded. "Yes, this should be a good time." He paused and they headed out the door, both ignoring Taylor who was whining that Evie wasn't giving him a basket like the kids.

"Eeeevvvvieeee!" he droned.

Evie had a smug look on her face as she held the bucket behind her back. "Us wenches don't just give out anything for free ya know" she teased. Lazarus and Gadget shook their heads at the husband and wife as they walked out the door. Alicia and Grace followed suit.

"Eeeeeviiieeee, you're mean!" Taylor continued to pout. "Give me my basket!"

Evie gave him a challenging look. "You're a crook, steal it from me since you're SO tough!"

Taylor moved in and wrapped an arm around the side of her, trying to snatch the basket, but she was too quick for him. His large wig's curls bounced up and down at his movement. He grunted in frustration and just as he was about to give him and cross his arms, she leaned up, gave him a kiss on the cheek and handed him the basket. "Happy Halloween, 'Mr. Merchants'…."

Taylor smiled contentedly as her kiss, his eyes closed and his gaze followed her as she left the room. He slowly snapped out of it and started following her, but not before asking her in a confused tone, "Who's Mr. Merchants?"

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The city streets were filled with lights and pumpkins and Halloween decorations. The sidewalks were filled with kids and their parents all dressed up for Halloween and all hoping to get some candy from the house to house. Owners of the houses happily opened their front doors and offered candy to anyone and everyone who came up to them.

It was a sight of happiness and excitement as the large group of family and friends made their way down the main street of houses. After the first half hour of trick or treating, the kids had baskets filled with candy and some of them were starting to get sleepy.

Benji looked into the stroller Evie was pushing and checked on his baby twin half-brothers. They were tuckered out from all the excitement and not used to being up so late and therefore were asleep and snuggled in their blankets. "The pumpkins are out!" he announced to the group.

Evie giggled at his comment as Penny checked on Hope, who was in her arms and resting her head on her shoulder. "Yeah, same with Hope." Gadget reached over and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Too much excitement" he said quietly, taking his daughter's wand and putting it into the stroller Evie was using for the twins. "Mind if I keep this in here?" he asked her. Evie shook her head. He tucked is safely away.

Taylor, who had been lagging behind as he sifted through his candy bucket, trotted faster to catch up with Evie and the stroller. He leaned over to check on his sons. "My cute little Taylor Tots!" he fussed over them. He adjusted the blanket around Ollie and fixed the stem hat on Jimmy. "They are officially THE best pumpkins around. So full of awesomeness, they are."

Eddie and Alicia were in the lead of the group, walking side by side, with Lula and G2 behind them. Emily, Alice, and Grace were all huddled together checking out what candy they had gotten. Evie saw this and stopped, causing everyone to stop as well. "Hang on!" she announced. She reached into her bag on the side of the stroller. "This is just TOO adorable to pass up!" She pulled out a small camera. "Emily, Alice, Grace, come here please." Everyone gathered around to watch Evie take a picture of the girls and their candy. Alice, being the smallest and youngest of their girls, stood in the middle. Evie snapped several shots, then said, "Okay, now, look like you guys are sifting through your candy. I want a candid."

The girls didn't hesitate to look through their candy some more.

"Those are some cute shots you're getting, Evie" said Lula.

"You should consider being a photographer" suggested G2.

"That would be fun!" agreed Evie as she looked through the photos.

"You should get one with Maxie in it too" proposed Penny. She turned and looked around, not seeing her son. "Hey, were IS Maxie?"

Taylor scratched the back of his neck. "I saw him out front. Isn't he with Eddie and Alicia?"

Eddie and Alicia both gave everyone chaste looks. Alicia shook her head. "No, Lazarus and I were out front. We didn't see him. Did you?" her question was shot at Eddie.

He looked to her and shook his head. "No."

Penny all but started panicking. "Then where is he?!" She whipped around and looked to Gadget. "Gadget! We have to find him! He could be anywhere! There are all kinds of freaks out there! Especially tonight of all nights!"

Benji wordlessly took the sleeping Hope from Gadget's arms while the inspector frantically wracked his brain on how to handle the situation. He fiddled with his wizard's staff. He sighed. "I don't know, sweetie, we'll find him! I promise you!" he turned out and looked at the street around them. "MAXIE!" he called out. His voice echoed into the night air. Several other trick or treaters around them looked at them; puzzled.

Penny was near a breakdown as G2 wrapped a comforting arm around her.

"MAXIE!" everyone in the group called out. They continued walking down the street in hopes to catch up with him. They all searched for a little zombie.

As they walked along, Taylor once again became at the back of the group and walked slower than the rest. He shouted Maxie's name and searched all the kids who went by looking for a zombie. He saw a kid dressed in a scary outfit and his gaze followed the young tyke until he ran straight into someone. "Oof!" He stumbled back several steps.

"Hey, watch where yer goin', pinhead!" snapped the angry voice of a shorter heavier built man. Taylor, recovering from the hit, had just enough time to catch the silhouette of the man. He wore a heavy gray coat and a tight wool hat on his round head. He did a double take at the man, almost recognizing him. He could hear the man grumbling darkly under his breath as he continued on walking. He thought about it a moment before shaking his head and going back to calling out Maxie's name.

After several minutes of searching, Penny was near tears and Gadget was holding onto her in hopes to sooth her worries. "It's okay, sweetie. Shh…..We'll find him."

"Look, why don't Lazarus and I take the kids back to the mansion and you guys can keep on looking for him. The kids are getting tired and we can't expect them to keep walking like this" suggested Alicia.

The adults all looked at each other and all seemed to agree. G2 handed Hope over to Alicia and Lazarus took over Evie's stroller with the Taylor Tots. "Come along, children. We're gonna go back to Taylor's mansion" called Lazarus gently over his shoulder. Emily, Grace, and Alice followed along after hugging their parents. They trotted along with their candy.

Grace stayed behind a moment and pulled on Gadget's long sleeve. Gadget knelt down to her. "Good luck finding Maxie" she said. Gadget smiled, kissed her head, and shooed her off. "Stay with your mom and make sure everyone gets back okay. Don't worry about Maxie…"

Grace did as she was told and that left the adults to find Maxie. Penny, Gadget, Lula, G2, and Taylor all looked around themselves, completely lost on what to do.

They continued walking for another ten minutes when suddenly there was an outcry of shouts and screams from the little kids and some of the teens and adults up ahead. Alarmed, Gadget looked over to see what the trouble was. "That doesn't sound too good…."

"It's probably just some teens being stupid and scaring little children…" offered Lula. "It is Halloween after all…."

Just then, more screams came, though they sounded genuine. There were shouts as everyone started running from one particular house and the area around it. The house was probably the oldest house in the neighborhood. It was old, broken, and decaying.

"IT'S HAUNTED!" screamed someone.

"IT'S UNNATURAL!" screamed a woman she carried her child away.

"HE'S GOT A WEAPON!" shouted a man.

Alarm was suddenly written all over Gadget's features. "This is serious, guys. I need to check this out. This is police business."

Penny quickly grabbed his arm. "But Gadget, what about Maxie?! We have to keep searching for him!"

"You guys keep looking for him! I need to go and check this out!" he quickly gave Penny a kiss on the lips before starting to head towards the scene of trouble.

Taylor pushed past the girls and followed him. "Hey, not without me!"

"Taylor!" hollered Evie irately.

"Evie! I'm his Deputy! This is what I do!"

Evie let out a deep sigh. "Some deputy, he's dressed up as a bandit!"

G2 and Lula guided Evie and Penny away. "Come, we have to continue looking for Maxie!" The girls reluctantly followed suit.

Gadget and Taylor walked closer to the tall, old house that everyone seemed to be running away from. It was then that they noticed exactly why. There, in the yard in front of the house, on the other side of the rickety, half broken fence was a man in a scary clown costume and mask with a chainsaw who was jumping up and down threateningly at everyone around him. Thankfully the chainsaw was not on, but it was still dangerous. The clown costume was multi-colored and the mask was white with crazed eyes and an open mouth with teeth coming out of it.

There was a group of frightened kids near him and they didn't know what to do. They were too terrified to move and they stood there trembling and screaming. The clown moved closer to them and snatched one of the kids from the ground, forcefully dragging him into the yard and towards the house.

It was with a sickening lurch of his heart that Gadget realized it was Maxie.

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Author's Note: CLIFFHANGER!


	35. Chapter 35

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon, Benji, Evie, Eddie Lazarus, Alicia, and Lula Smith belong to Aline Riva. Takes place after "Doomsday Machine".

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"Trick or Treat – Part 2"

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"Oh, God…." Moaned Gadget as he felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. "God…Taylor….it's Maxie! He's got Maxie!"

They stared in disbelief as the clown pulled Maxie closer and closer to the haunted looking house.

"YOU STUPID LITTLE KIDS! YOU AND YOUR BOISTEROUS GAMES! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR MESSING WITH ME!" He roughly pulled on Maxie's arm, who was trying his hardest to get away. "I'M THE LAST CLOWN YOU'LL EVER SEE, KIDDIES!" He turned on his chainsaw and the loud machine roared to life. Maxie screamed and fell to the ground at the sight of it.

Gadget could feel himself starting to run towards the fiend and could hear Taylor calling after him. AS he ran, he could see the clown pull Maxie to his feet and pull him into the house and slamming the door shut behind him.

The group of kids finally found the wits to run away and Gadget and Taylor pushed past them. "That bastard!" snarled Gadget. "How dare he scare these kids and threaten Maxie!" he nearly fell over as he ran in his costume, not used to wearing such long robes. He now hated the sleeves and all but dropped his wizard's staff as he sprinted past the broken fence and towards the house.

"Gadget!" called over Taylor. "Gadget, wait! We can't just burst in there!"

Gadget whirled around on Taylor so fast the younger man was caught off guard and nearly collided with him. "WHAT?!" he demanded.

Taylor blinked and could see from his friend's wild eyes that he was not dealing with Gadget, he was dealing with 'Pissed Off Beyond Belief Gadget'. He put his arms in surrender. "I-I—I-mean….we-we can't just barge in there without a plan! Can we?! I mean-Isn't that what police officers do?! You guys plan things out before you go inside!" Gadget just glared at him, his nostrils flaring as he waited for Taylor to continue. Taylor could practically see the vein on Gadget's forehead ready to pop from his fury. "I mean-What if we barge in there and he's got that chainsaw to use against Maxie!"

That seemed to bring Gadget back to reality. Taylor was being smart about this; for once. He knew his friend was right. He was allowing his parental emotions get the better of his judgment. He was an inspector; a protector. He couldn't be rash about anything now; even if his family was involved. He pulled off his wizard's hat as he thought this through.

Taylor waited, unnerved, to see what his friend would do.

"Come on" spoke Gadget gruffly. He placed his hat back on and walked stealthy up to the house. He couldn't hear any screaming and he hoped that was because Maxie was not being harmed inside. It made his insides twist at the idea that Maxie was in danger. He may not be his kid, but he was Penny's; his wife's. He looked at Maxie and saw a son of his own. He had known the boy since he was an infant and had watched him grow up. He was an uncle/father to the boy and refused to let him be harmed.

The two inched there way slowly to the front porch. The wood creaked under their weight.

Taylor looked around him and shivered. "This place is creepy…." He whimpered quietly.

"Now is not the time, Taylor" hissed Gadget.

Taylor gave a yelp and Gadget quickly turned from his near crouch position before the front door to see what had happened. Taylor was whimpering and pointing at a black spider which was descending down from its web on a string. Gadget sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "Just ignore it, Taylor."

Taylor moaned, yet did what he was told. He pulled his heavy brown coat closer to himself, still eyeing the spider, as Gadget tried opening the door. "Of course….it's locked…"

Taylor turned to his friend. "I have a way to get it open…."

Gadget stood straight and looked at him. "How?"

Taylor stepped closer to the door and reached into his large coat. A moment later he produced a low metal crowbar. Gadget's eyes went wide. Just barely remembering to keep his voice down, he demanded, "Taylor, what the hell are you doing with that?!"

Taylor looked at him innocently. "I'm Marv; a Wet Bandit. It's what they use. It's part of my costume!"

"Still! You can't just take a crow bar around with you!"

Taylor frowned and said sharply, "Hey, just be happy I have it because now we can USE it!"

That shut Gadget up.

Taylor started taking the crowbar and using it to break open the door. After several attempts, he sighed in exhaustion. "Wanna help?"

Gadget took hold of the crowbar and with their combined strength, they managed to jut the crowbar into the side of the door and crack it open. The door came open and they both fell with a crash. The crowbar slammed to the floorboards with a loud bang. They both winced at the noise, knowing the clown was sure to have heard them.

Gadget was standing first and slowly entered the old house. He hated to do it but given the circumstances: "Weapons Mode: On" he whispered. He could see a little red light in the corner of his vision turn on to allow him to know he could now use his weapons.

They both stepped inside, both on alert. Taylor was practically glued to Gadget since he was more terrified than anything else. He saw a string that was dangling down from the ceiling. He looked up to see it was attached to a light bulb. "Can I turn this on?"

Gadget looked to see what he meant. "No."

Taylor frowned. "But it's dark in here."

"I said no."

Taylor pouted and looked up, his large curly wig bouncing up and down. He pulled on the string regardless: nothing happened. He looked up at the light. "It's burned out…."

Gadget ignored him as he slowly walked further into the house. The house was empty, with nothing but dust and broken wood scattered everywhere. Rats squeaked and spider webs decorated the walls.

Taylor continued to stand there and look up at the light bulb as Gadget continued on through. There was not a sound throughout the house, not even a footstep, save for his own. He couldn't hear the clown or Maxie at all in the house and that unnerved Gadget even more.

Meanwhile, back at the door, Taylor pulled on the string again. Nothing happened. He pulled again. Nothing happened. "Stupid light…." He pulled as hard as he could on the string. What happened next was not something he would ever have suspected. The wood of the floorboards around the light bulb began to crack and there was a low, unsettling creaking that started. Taylor watched as the crack started to grow bigger and moved along the floorboards of the ceiling. "Uh oh…." He moaned.

Gadget, who was on the other side of the room at this point and heading down a hallway that lead to the kitchen, turned around when he heard the sound of the creaking just in time for the whole ceiling to come crashing down on them. The old house creaked, groaned, and scraped along the weight of the fall and the celling pulled in on itself.

Dust and debris filled the room and the sound of two people shouting in fright could be heard.

When the dust cleared, Taylor and Gadget ended up being unaffected due to their position in the room. They were close enough to the walls they weren't hit. In the middle of the large middle of derbis however, lay Maxie, who was tied up and the man dressed as a clown laying several feet away from him.

Taylor just stared with wide eyes at what he had done.

Well, at least now they knew where Maxie and the clown were, he figured.

Gadget crouched down in hopes he wouldn't be seen as the clown stood up. He silently wished Taylor would do the same. The clown was facing Taylor and once he stood up, he glared at Taylor. "YOU!" he screeched. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MY HOUSE!"

Taylor, forgetting the situation he was in, gaped. "House? You call this a HOUSE!?"

"WHAT ARE YOU? SOME SORT OF ROBBER?! Well, I hate to break it to you PAL, but you picked a bad time to steal from me!" He picked up his chainsaw which was near him as Maxie woke up from the fall and attempted to get up. The clown turned on the chainsaw and waved it threateningly at Taylor. "YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME, ROBBER?!"

Freaking, Taylor put his arms in the air. "I-I'm not a robber! HONEST!"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU DRESSED AS ONE!?"

"It's Halloween!"

"BULLSHIT! I DON'T BUY THAT!"

Maxie laid low to the ground, tied up and feeling himself getting splinters. He was glad to know his Uncle Taylor was there, because that only meant Gadget had to be around there somewhere. He couldn't see Gadget behind them because he was tied up, so the boy immediately assumed he must have been underneath them when they fell. Maxie bit his lip to keep from crying at the thought of Gadget being hurt.

The clown tossed the chainsaw to the side after turning it back off. He reached into his clown outfit and pulled out a gun. Taylor gave a yelp. "You picked the wrong clown to mess with, buddy" he growled darkly.

"Why are you doing this?!" demanded Taylor, watching as Gadget slowly and silently advanced on the clown. He could see what his friend was doing, so he decided to distract the clown.

"WHY?!" shouted the clown, deranged. "BECAUSE I CAN! because I'm sick and tired of this damn town! Because every god damned year I have to sit and watch these damned spoiled brats come by my house and throw rocks at it and say it's haunted! It's not MY fault I can't afford a better place than this! It's not MY fault I work my ASS off trying to save money and it get to someplace better! I'm tired of being treated like shit around here! So, I decided; on my least favorite day of the year, to snatch one of the snot-nosed brats, kill them, and show this town who's tough!"

"That's crazy!" cried out Taylor before he could stop himself.

The clown cocked the gun so that it was ready to shoot. "Not that smartest thing for you to say…."

Gadget continued to make his way to the clown, glad Taylor was distracting him. Although just as he was almost there, he slipped on some wood pieces. The sound alerted the clown to his presence and he immediately acted. The clown whirled around and tried to hit Gadget in the face, though Gadget was too quick and he managed to dodge it.

"YOU FREAK!" shouted the clown at Gadget. Gadget took a fist and slammed it into the clown's masked face. The clown stumbled back, then crouched and rammed himself at Gadget, hitting him in the gut. Gadget groaned and swung the clown around once he grabbed him, sending the man flying several feet away.

"Gadget!" cried out Maxie happily.

Yet Gadget had no time for happy reunions. The clown was already on the move and he could see he was heading for his chainsaw since his gun was knocked out of his hand and lost in the debris.

In a panic, Gadget reached for the chainsaw, his cybernetic arm stretching out so that the metal was exposed. Just as the clown was about to snatch the chainsaw, Gadget's outstretched hand grabbed it first. At the sight of his hand, the clown shrieked and fell backwards.

"AHHHHH! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!" he stared at Gadget as the wizard-dressed inspector retracted his arm back to it's normal form. The clown saw Gadget's costume. "Are you some sort of magical wizard?! How else did you do that?"

"It's called cybernetics, pal!" called over Taylor indignantly.

"CYBERNETICS DOESN'T DO THAT! YOU'RE SOME SORT OF FREAK!"

Gadget shook his head, having been called much worse. He watched over to the clown, who was now intimidated by him. "You are under arrest by the power of the Riverton Police Force. I am Inspector Gadget and you are under my custody. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you." He quickly brought out his handcuffs. "Go Go Gadget Handcuffs." He roughly brought the clown's wrists together and cuffed him. He pulled off the clown's mask and found the clown to be an older man with graying hair and dark eyes. He had several scars on his wrinkled face. One could tell he had had a hard life.

Taylor untied Maxie, who quickly got up and wrapped his arms around his Uncle Taylor, too frightened to go near Gadget since he as close to the clown man. Taylor patted him on the head, which made him look up. The man dressed as a bandit smiled down at him. "Don't worry, Maxie. Gadget has everything under control."

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Penny was busy fussing over Maxie and the splinters had sustained in the house back at Taylor's mansion.

"Moooom!" he called out in exasperation.

"I don't want to hear it!" snipped Penny. "You should have known better than to go off on your own like that! I told you to stay close!"

In the living room, Taylor was bouncing the Taylor Tots on his knees. They were still dressed up as pumpkins.

"Taylor?" came the seductive voice of Evie.

Taylor looked up and saw her standing at the doorway, leaning against it so that her costume showed off her curves. He placed the twins in their crib and walked up to her. Everyone else was still in the front room. "Yes, baby?"

Evie placed a hand on his shoulder, one hand still behind her back. "I think you make a sexy bandit…"

Taylor grinned from ear to ear. "You think so?"

Evie nodded slowly. "I know so…..I actually kinda like your hair this way…." She ran a hand through the long crazy curls.

"Really?"

Evie nodded again. "This wench is definitely interested….."

Taylor leaned close to her. "Maybe this wench could teach this bandit a thing or two…."

Evie's eyes flashed dangerously and Taylor wondered if it was for real or not. " I think that's a wonderful idea!"

"Really?"

Evie nodded slowly once more. "Really…." She took a few steps back and Taylor watched in horror as she pulled out the crowbar from behind her. "Exactly WHAT were you doing with a CROWBAR?!" she shouted angrily. Taylor gasped, realizing he was in trouble. He put his arms up in surrender and took a few steps back.

"I-It was part of my costume—"

"You had a crowbar NEAR my BABIES?!"

"It's not like I had them playing with it! It was just hidden in my coat!"

Evie raised the crowbar as though she was going to hit him with it. Taylor flinched and cried like a girl before making a run for upstairs.

Evie watched him go and put down the crowbar, setting it on the table. She smiled. "I love making that man scream like a baby…."

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Lazarus sat next to Gadget as the inspector fiddled with his hat.

"You have something on your mind" stated Lazarus.

Gadget knew the moment Lazarus sat down he would say something along those lines. Lazarus knew everything, considering who he was. Yet he was grateful, in the long run, for it kept him from having to figure out a way from bringing the subject up to begin with. He sighed.

"That guy was a whacko…." Lazarus nodded. "I haven't dealt with a guy like him in years….Over a decade…." Lazarus waited patiently for him to continue. Gadget turned and looked at him in the eyes. "I was so positive that people like him were gone…."

Lazarus shook his head. "Believing that is foolish. Yes, I told you that Riverton would a peaceful place. Though I did not tell you that there would never be a time when you need to save the day. There will always be evil in the world Gadget. Despite my triumph over the Devil during the war, does not mean all of His evil deeds are gone. There will still be a time when Good must triumph. Tonight was one of those nights."

"Halloween. Celebration of the Devil…." Muttered Gadget.

Lazarus nodded. "It is true. This is His day. But only if you wish to see it that way." Gadget remembered what Evie had said earlier. She had said something similar. "There is nothing wrong with celebrating Halloween, so long as your heart is pure and you are true and faithful to God…..to me…."

Gadget nodded with a soft smile.

Lazarus stood up and looked down at Gadget. "Happy Halloween."

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Author's Note: WOW! This was a long one! I'm sorry if there are a lot of typos! I'll fix them later! I need sleep! Enjoy!


	36. Chapter 36

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Evie belong to Aline Riva. Takes place after "Silver Sentinel".

WARNING: This chapter is rated M for sexual scenarios and context. Don't like? Don't read.

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"Discovery"

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"Hmmm….Oh God…Gadget…..You're amazing…."muttered Taylor Braydon heatedly as he kissed the inspector's neck and suckled the other man's right earlobe.

The two friends had just been sitting on Taylor's couch in the living room watching a football game; neither knowing when it had turned into more.

Neither of them was aware of the moment when they went from two friends watching a football game; one of which Taylor had never even heard of the teams before now, to two friends making out and getting it on like lovers.

Innocent touches had turned to meaningful strokes. Yet it seemed that's how it always was with Taylor and Gadget. It was never planned. It certainly wasn't planned on this Sunday afternoon when the Taylor Tots were at their grandmothers and Evie was out shopping. It seemed like there was always times when everyone else was busy or unavailable and these two were left alone when things became unpredictable between them.

Gadget sucked in a breath at Taylor's words. Oh, how he thanked his lucky stars that he was able to perform sexually properly again. He would not be able to enjoy this moment nearly as much if he couldn't. Before he would be barely be turned on by this, but now—

"Oh!" gasped Gadget, being broken out of his thoughts. Taylor's lips and teeth might have been leaving noticeable bite marks on his neck, but his hands were roaming all over him and as they reached down into his pants, the inspector was unable to think properly.

There was a tiny part of his brain that was telling him to stop and a fleeting image of his wife, Penny, shot through his mind, but it was instantly gone the moment Taylor's hand grabbed his length while pulling down his pants and leaving the thin layer of his underwear left over it.

There was nothing wrong with this.

Taylor knew it. Gadget knew it. They both knew it. They were alone; nobody was around. No one had to know but them. They both loved their wives and would never want to hurt them, which was why they wouldn't make a big deal out of what they were doing. Never.

Gadget snaked his hands and made his way into Taylor's pants, who's own arousal was waiting for attention. Gadget starting biting into Taylor's shoulders from the pleasure he was being given when the distant sound of a door opening could be heard and the rustling of plastic bags; the jingle of keys.

Both men snapped out of their love making at the same time, their eyes wide, and simultaneously, they stared at each other briefly and looked over the top of the couch.

There stood Evie.

Poor, confused, flabbergasted Evie.

The blonde woman's eyes were wide behind her glasses and her face was caught between shock and overawe. She stood there dumbly in the doorway, the door still having yet to be shut. In her arms she carried half a dozen shopping bags. She wore a simple sweater and jeans.

Taylor and Gadget seemed to be at a loss for words. Out of all the times they'd made out and fondled each other, they had never been caught.

There was a first time for everything, apparently.

Taylor was the first to move and he nearly lost his balance over Gadget, having been holding himself up. He became quite aware that both their flies were open and their manhood clearly visible under their underwear.

Gadget's face, by this point, was redder than a tomato. He couldn't meet Evie's eyes. He slowly and awkwardly pulled his jeans up and covered himself up more properly.

"Evie-!" squeaked Taylor, still too stunned to really do anything. This wasn't supposed to happen. They weren't supposed to be caught.

Evie, for her part, just continued to stare for a moment longer before her jaw started functioning again and she managed to peak after a few tries. "You know what?" she began in a high pitched, dazed voice. She didn't sound angry, much to their surprise. After opening and closing her mouth a few more times she said, "I'm gonna go shopping….I haven't gone shopping in a long time…"

She was no longer looking at them; instead she looked at the walls around them. She nodded her herself. "Yeah….shopping…" She numbly turned around and went back out the door, the shopping bags still being held up in her arms. "Yeah….um…okay…."

And then she was gone.

Gadget and Taylor both looked at each other, unsure of what had just taken place. The door was still wide open and both of them could hear the car pull out of the driveway as Evie left.

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Later That Night

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Gadget had left understandably quickly after Evie had left. Both men muttered and fumbled about, barely looking each other in the face once they pulled their pants closed. Gadget frantically uttered his apologies over and over and told him it never should have gotten that far, but Taylor just nodded along.

He didn't blame Gadget in the least. It took two to tango; and it wasn't like they didn't know there was the possibility of that happening. Taylor, of course, had been a complete mess and Gadget had made sure to bring him down a bit before leaving.

"God, what if she leaves me?!" Taylor had moaned as he stood in his living room with his face in his hands. He suddenly looked up, his face ghost pale and his eyes wide, tears running from them freely. "OH GOD! WHAT IF SHE TAKES AWAY MY TAYLOR TOTS!?" He grasped at his hair and pulled at the thought.

Gadget had been quick to step in before Taylor got any further into his hysterics. "Relax, Taylor! Everything is going to be fine! We'll work this out! Evie is a very understanding woman! Just-Don't freak out just yet!" Even his own voice was quivering as he said these words of comfort. He honestly had no idea what was going to happen next. He really didn't know if Evie was going to be as understanding as he hoped.

This was a very messy business; Taylor had been caught cheating by his own wife.

But was it really considered cheating? Taylor and Gadget weren't together; it was nothing like that. They were just two friends who found each other attractive and occasionally turned each other on. This time they had just gone a little too far and allowed themselves to get more carried away. It had all seemed so innocent before. Yeah, it was cheating, no matter how it was looked at.

Taylor took in a deep breath as he sat on his side of the bed. He fidgeted with his fingers as he sat there in his race car pajamas, his toes sticking up at the end of the bed. His cheeks were tinted pink ever so slightly as he stared listlessly in front of him. He looked like a little kid who had been caught pulling down a little girl's panties on the school ground and was now waiting for punishment.

Evie had come home about three hours later from her second 'shopping trip'. Taylor, of course, had been on pins and needles the whole time he waited for her and the feeling had intensified the moment she walked through the door. Evie, however, walked in through door briskly with her shopping bags, looking the exact same as she had when she had walked in on them. She had thrown Taylor a nervous attempt at a smile before she practically ran up to their room.

The rest of the evening had been awkward to say the least and it was a miracle Grandma Mindy was keeping the twins for the better half of the week. It would only have made things more complicated. Yet at the same time, Taylor wished they were there at the house, because who knew what Evie had done those three hours. For all he knew she had told her mom and dad and planned on never bringing them back to the house again. The very thought made Taylor's heart break.

For the rest of the day, Evie avoided him. She didn't allow them to be in the same room together; which was easy since they lived in such a large mansion. Taylor had gotten lost in the basement trying to find her; a half hour later finally finding the stairs that led into the kitchen.

Now, though, he sat and waited to see what would happen next. This was her bedroom too, surely she would have to enter it eventually.

Evie walked into the room and Taylor went rigid. She looked at him for the first time since the incident. "You left the milk out again" she said.

Taylor blinked at her. "What?"

Evie walked to the other side of the room and grabbed a bottle of lotion. She was already wearing her lavender one-piece night gown. She sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from Taylor, and started applying the lotion to her arms. "I said you forgot to put the milk away again."

"Oh….."

What? No screaming? No tears? No accusations?

Just milk.

After a long silence, Taylor couldn't take it anymore. Evie snapped the bottle of lotion shut and place it back on the bedside table. "Look-Evie—"

"I'm going downstairs to watch a movie" she cut him off. Once again, her voice held no anger, no contempt. Nothing. She spoke as though it were any other day. She sighed and stood up, grabbing her pillow and a nearby quilt. She walked towards the door and glanced back at Taylor with a brief tiny smile "Don't wait up."

Taylor just stared after her, not understanding.

Evie slept in one of the guest bedrooms that night.

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Next Day

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"She didn't say anything?" asked Gadget as he sat opposite of Taylor in the café they were in.

Taylor shrugged as he tore apart his blueberry muffin, his elbows on the table. He looked like a mess. His hair was sloppy and stuck up in places, his eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes were wrinkled and un-matching. It was clear he hadn't slept.

Gadget didn't all that great either, but at least he was matching and his hair was groomed. He had been overwhelmed with guilt for leaving his best friend in such a position. Penny had asked him over and over what had happened, but he refused to say anything until he knew more about what was going on. Not only would telling her only cause more problems, but it would also mean admitting he was also cheating.

Oh, what a mess they were in.

"Not really. At least, nothing about…..what happened…"

Gadget nodded. "Do you think she's mad at all then?"

Taylor slammed his fists on the table, the blueberry muffin pieces dropped and forgotten. This earned him several odd looks from the customers around them. "That's the thing! I don't knoooowww!" He slammed his forehead down on the grey table. "Ugh…..God…I don't know what's worse! Being chewed out by my wife or…..WAITING to be chewed out by my wife!"

Gadget had flinched when Taylor's head hit the table. He sighed. "Maybe she just needs some time." Taylor groaned into the table. Gadget shrugged. "Maybe she's trying to sort it all out. I mean, she did seem shocked…" he paused. "Maybe she's in denial."

Taylor slumped his shoulders. "Maybe I'm going to soon be a divorced man who only gets to see his precious Taylor Tots on holidays…." He whimpered.

Gadget shook his head and reached over to touch his friend's shoulder. "Look, you can't see it that way. You gotta think positive." He sighed. "God…I gotta listen to my own advice…."

Taylor finally looked up with a curious look.

Gadget explained, "Look, I know you're going through a tough time, but you're not the only one suffering. If this gets out: if Evie tells anyone…..and it….gets back to Penny…." Gadget stopped talking, his words sinking in. "Oh…..fuck!" he moaned and he imitated Taylor by slamming his forehead against the table. This received more odd looks.

Taylor reached over and patted his friend's shoulder assuredly.

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That Night

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After having feebly attempted to make Gadget feel better after his realization in the café, Taylor had gone back home. Gadget had been near a break down; they both had been really, but both managed to pull themselves together and go back home; praying for the best.

Taylor had gone back home and curled himself up on the couch in the front room; he refused to go near the couch Evie had caught them in. He numbly watched as Evie went about her day as though nothing had happened, though this time she did seem rather skittish. Every time she glanced his way, she would get flustered and look away; though she didn't ever look disgusted or angry.

As the evening went on, Taylor loosened up for he was tired of being on pins and needles. The twins were still at their grandparent's house, so they once again had the house to themselves.

Evie watched another movie, though she had invited Taylor to join her. They sat on the couch, yes, THE couch, and she curled up next to him as though it were any other night. She wrapped a blanket around them and rested her head on his chest just as she always would.

Taylor tried several times to bring up the topic of his cheating, but she would always interrupt him or he would stutter so badly he would forget what he was trying to say.

But there was less tension now.

She was cuddling with him and smiling. She even gave him a few quick kisses.

Perhaps Gadget was right. Maybe everything was going to be okay.

That night, Evie slept in their bed, though she stayed close to her edge of the bed.

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Two Days Later - Nighttime

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Everything seemed back to normal. They both went into work and Benji and G2 babysat the twins. Evie was sleeping in their room again. She was still laughing at his jokes. She had even invited Gadget over for dinner the night before.

Taylor, however, had noticed a few things while Gadget had been over. Evie wouldn't look at Gadget. Of course, Gadget really didn't look at her either; his guilt still too overwhelming. She kept glancing back between Taylor and Gadget, as though expecting them to jump on top of each other and just start making out.

That was the first clue.

That was the first clue that not everything was exactly the same. She was also blushing a lot.

That was the second clue. Taylor couldn't fathom why though, Gadget was the man he had been cheating on her with. Gadget was the man who she'd seen kissing her husband.

Shouldn't she be angry, at the very least?

Taylor and her had never really discussed their opinions on homosexuality, so Taylor wasn't even sure what she thought about the whole thing. Both Taylor and Gadget knew they couldn't say anything either. They didn't want to disrupt the bubble. Both of them knew any little wrong move and everything could fall to pieces; not only for Taylor, but for Gadget as well.

Both husband and wife walked into the bedroom with Evie in the lead. They changed into their pajamas and before Evie could make it over to the bed, Taylor walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He moved his head so he could kiss her on the cheek. "I love you, Evie. I want you to know that…." He couldn't say how many times he'd said that in the past two days. He missed her. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were.

Evie smiled warmly. "I know, sweetheart." She pulled herself out of his grasp and kissed him back. The kiss lasted longer than either of them had expected. They broke apart momentarily, both glancing into each other's eyes, before kissing again, only this time much more passionately.

This was the last thing Taylor was expecting, but he certainly was not complaining. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close so that her body was pressed up against his growing arousal. This only seemed to increase her lust for him for she threw her arms around his neck and tangled her hands into his blonde hair.

"Hmmm….Evie….I-" he tried saying between kisses. He paused a moment as she nipped at his bottom lip. They made their way over to the bed and toppled down into it with Evie on the bottom. "Evie-I'm so sorry…" He was faintly aware that he was near tears. He really was sorry; sorry for having her see that. Sorry for making her go through that. He didn't deserve such a wonderful wife as her. She was so trusting and understanding. They shouldn't be having sex, they should be fighting. She should be throwing things at him. He was caught cheating for Heaven's Sake!

The two of them continued their love making, their clothes quickly forgotten and tossed to the side and just as Taylor finished thrusting his hips into hers, she gave out a cry.

"Oh, god…Gadget!"

The world seemed to stop revolving. Any and all arousal they had felt thirty seconds ago was now completely gone for both of them.

It was another one of those moments when they were both frozen in place with shock and overawe and both wondering what to do next.

Taylor, propped up on his elbows, looked down at her. "Ummm…..I'm Taylor" he clarified.

Evie stared back up at him with wide eyes, her glasses up on her forehead. "Uh huh. I know" she squeaked, sounding like a little mouse caught in a cage. She reached and grabbed her night gown, squirming awkwardly underneath Taylor as she tried to get it back on. Once it was on, she rolled over, pushing Taylor's arm away and rolling off the side of the bed. "I think I hear the twins crying…." She spoke quickly.

She fell to the floor with a thump. "Ow….I think I just cracked a rib…." Taylor could hear her say from the bed. She quickly got up, pulling her glasses back down over her eyes and running her hands through her hair. She quickly left the room, holding onto her side.

Taylor just lay there, dumbfounded.

His wife had cried out his best friend's name while they were having sex.

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Five Minutes Later

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Taylor made his way down the carpeted steps in his pajama bottoms and turned on the lights as he went. He really had no idea where she had gone. She wasn't in the twins' room, yet of course, they had not cried like she claimed. After searching for several minutes, he found her curled up under the blanket they had used when watching a movie on the couch.

"Evie?"

"Hi."

"What just happened?" he sat down on the couch near her.

She shrugged. "I don't know."

Taylor sighed. "Look, Evie—It's okay—"

"You were making out with Gadget" she beat him to it.

Taylor flinched. "Yeah…." He had not expected the tables to turn like that.

"You had cheated on me."

Great, this was it. Taylor should have known he wouldn't have been off the hook that easily. He forced himself not to cry as he was once again reminded that his Taylor Tots could still be taken away from him. There was no longer even a part of him that cared or thought about the fact that she was technically now in the wrong too. Crying out someone else's name in be wasn't exactly a compliment. Yet there were other things to think about right now.

"Yeah."

Evie wasn't looking at him; she was looking ahead of herself. "I….My husband is cheating on me…"

"No-no-wait!"

She continued speaking as though he had said nothing. "…..and yet…..I'm not mad."

Taylor paused. "What?"

Evie shrugged, looking a little wild eyed. "I don't care!" She gave a slight giggle. "I caught my husband cheating on me with his best MALE friend….and I don't care!" She curled her legs up to her chest.

Taylor gave her a frightened look. He had never seen Evie look this way before. "You….don't?"

Evie shook her hair. "No! I don't!" She stood up, letting the blanket trail behind her to the ground. "I've thought about it like crazy and thought it over and over and over and no matter how many times I picture you two together, kissing, and touching and feeling each other up…..I don't care!" Her voice seemed to get higher with each word. She looked down at Taylor, finally meeting him in the eye. "You love him, don't you?"

Taylor looked like a deer caught in the head lights. He did love Gadget, in certain ways, but how could he explain that to Evie without hurting her? "Yes….I do…"

"And…you love me?"

Taylor rose at this and quickly held her. "Oh, my God, Evie, YES!" He pulled her close and hid his face in her hair. "You make me so happy! You are the love of my life! I could never imagine my life without her, sweetie, please don't leave me!" He was sobbing. "You're a bundle of awesomeness—I mean, we made the Taylor Tots with our awesomeness. No one comes close to being a wonderful and amazing as you….Please don't leave me…."

"Oh, no…." Evie shook her head against his chest, both of them swaying slightly. "No….I won't leave you."

Taylor gasped in happiness and pulled her even closer, tears running down his cheeks and into her hair as he thanked the heavens. She numbly wrapped her arms around him. She rubbed his back in soothing circles. "It's okay….." They pulled apart, but Taylor made sure to keep her close; he still couldn't bring himself to believe she wouldn't leave him. "I…I actually um…." She looked down, her words muffled.

He leaned down, trying to hear her. "What?"

She drew circles on Taylor's bare chest; he was only wearing his pajama bottoms. "Ever since…I saw you two together….I….have kinda….gotten a crush….on Gadget…."

Taylor blinked at her. "Really?"

"Thinking about….you two together….actually….really turns me on…." She admitted quietly. "Which is why I said his name back there…..Sorry about that…..Couldn't help it…"

Taylor couldn't help but grin. He then laughed and pulled her close again. He didn't care about that. After a long moment of just holding each other, he asked, "So, you're really okay with this?"

He felt her nod against him. "I've always known you two were close….and I know Gadget would never intentionally hurt either of us. He's a great man. I think of him as family. I….could never be mad at Gadget….or you. You two just…..happen to love each other. You can't help that. And…I know you and Gadget would never intentionally want to hurt me or Penny…"

Taylor sighed in relief. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but God it was wonderful.

They stayed together like that the rest of the night, huddled together on the couch; THE couch, and stayed warm under the blanket. Not until their tears were dried and they were happily content, did Taylor speak up about the one little word that had formed in his mind the moment he knew everything was going to be okay.

"Say, Evie?"

"Hmmm?"

"Since you have a crush on Gadget…"

"Yes?"

He looked at her dead seriously, "Does this mean we can have a threesome?"

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Author's Note: Oh, it was so much fun writing these characters again! I stayed up WAY too late to finish it, but I knew it would never get done if I didn't. Enjoy! :)


	37. Chapter 37

Author's Note: Taylor Braydon and Evie belong to Aline Riva. Takes place after "Silver Sentinel". And so sorry for the long wait for an update, but things have been crazy for me as I finish up my last semester of college. Hopefully this will make up for it for anyone who's been following along.

WARNING: This chapter is rated M for sexual scenarios and context. Don't like? Don't read. This also takes place right after "Discovery", which is the previous chapter.

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"Twosome, Threesome, Foursome"

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"I said, 'No'" spoke Evie Braydon in a clipped tone.

The newly appointed inspector groaned as he leaned into the kitchen bar. "Aww, come on! You even admitted it yourself, darling! You WANT Gadget!"

Evie shook her head with an exasperated chuckle as she stood there and ironed one of her shirts. "Taylor, do you even realize what you're suggesting?"

Taylor paused a moment, leaning against the bar opposite of Evie. He was wearing one of his nice work shirts and pants, having just gotten home from being on duty. Gadget had been slowly showing him the ropes on being an Inspector rather than a deputy. He had no idea there would be such a change between the two positions. Suddenly he had files to report and crime scenes to investigate. He had taken off his jacket though and tossed it on the couch.

Ever since Evie had admitted her attraction to Gadget earlier in the week, it was all Taylor was able to think about. The idea of having a threesome with Gadget and Evie made him shiver with pleasure. It thrilled him; the thought of being able to be with the two most important people of his life together at the same time. The lovemaking they would do!

Taylor nodded at her question, pursing his lips as he leaned further into the counter. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do, love muffin!"

Evie rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt that you do." She set the iron to the side, which gave a hiss of steam. She leaned over towards her husband. "Look, Taylor, my answer is no! Its one thing keeping this from Penny, but it's another thing entirely to go having sex with her husband behind her back! You two are just lucky I haven't told her!" She went to grab the iron again, before she paused and looked back to Taylor. "What does Gadget say about all this?"

Taylor frowned and leaned away. "Well-I haven't exactly-erm….What I mean to say is-"

"You haven't told him" guessed Evie.

Taylor scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, no, I told him. But uh….he didn't like the idea so much…" Evie said nothing, unsurprised as she waited for her husband to continue. "He said….he-"

"Taylor" prompted the blonde woman warningly.

Taylor sighed. "He said pretty much the same things you're saying…." He muttered.

Evie nodded, grabbing the iron and working on her shirt. "Nice to know one of you has common sense…" she mumbled darkly. After a moment she continued. "Taylor, you have to remember, there is a lot more at stake here than you realize. You and Gadget are already having an affair. You realize that, right?"

Taylor nodded.

"And, thankfully, I'm not holding it against either of you. I'm not mad at either of you either. Because both of you mean a lot to me and Gadget is my friend and—" Her gaze moved up to the stairs where the Taylor Tots were sleeping upstairs. "….and there is no way in Hell I'm raising two babies all by myself…Especially now that-" Evie stopped herself right there, her eyes locking with Taylor's large blue curious ones. She subconsciously placed a hand over her abdomen.

Taylor stared at her, confused. "Especially now that what?"

Evie put the iron down and lowered her head so that Taylor couldn't see her expression. She was forcing herself not to grin like an idiot, but she was finding it was a lost cause. After a long minute of looking down with a hand over her stomach, she finally looked up and said, "Taylor, sweetie…."

Taylor cocked his head to one side, showing her she had his attention. This just made her grin all the more. Sweet, naïve Taylor. "Taylor, you know how we talked about what we were going to do after having the Taylor Tots?"

Taylor thought for a moment. "…Buy new rubber duckies for the bathroom?"

Evie shook her head. "No…." she sighed. "About having more children?"

The blonde man smiled goofily now that he was on the same page. He nodded. "Yeah."

"Taylor, sweetie, I'm pregnant."

Taylor just stared at her.

"Taylor? Did you hear me?"

Taylor blinked rapidly, the wheels in his head trying to wrap around what he had just been told. He looked down at his hands which were spread out on the kitchen bar before him for what seemed like an eternity to Evie. Finally, in a small voice he said, "You're pregnant?"

Evie forced herself not to roll her eyes and nodded. "That's what I just said." She couldn't help but smile though, for she knew what her husband was like; sometimes it took him a while to grasp onto things.

Taylor looked her in the eyes. "You mean to say we're going to have more babies?" He voice was in awe.

Evie shyly shrugged her shoulders, placing a hand over her stomach. "Well, hopefully this time it's only one…I don't think I could handle giving birth to twins again…."

Taylor shrugged. "I dunno….I would kind of expect it sweetie…" he placed his two index fingers together. "I mean….our awesomeness…..you saw what happened last time…." He spoke in a slightly sing-song voice. He pulled his fingers apart.

Evie shook her head, knowing full well of her husband's theory on why they had twins. She grabbed onto the iron once more. "So, any ideas you have about a threesome…you can just get out of your head right this instant! We have the children to focus on, Taylor!"

Taylor seemed to deflate. "That didn't stop us before…."

Evie narrowed her eyes at him, placing the iron back down. "What do you mean by that?" She paused, closed her eyes, and shook her head. "You know what? Never mind. I don't want to know!" Frustrated, she seized her shirt and ironed out every wrinkle from it in max speed. Taylor watched as she did so and backed away carefully. He swung himself around the kitchen counter that had been separating them and slid his arms around her waist.

Evie put down the iron with a huff, trying to restrain herself. It wasn't Taylor's fault that she was in a bad mood now that they'd just talked about the threesome possibility….again. She turned off the iron, feeling herself smile. Now was not the time to be worrying about something so trivial. She knew it was just like a fad Taylor was going through. He would get over the idea eventually and they would be able to move on. Once the pregnancy started kicking in and she got closer to her due date that would be all Taylor would be able to talk about, just like he had been the last time.

Taylor pulled her close and placed his chin on her shoulder, nipping at her neck and around her earlobe. He spoke quietly in a sing-song voice, "We're gonna have more Taylor Tots….!" He gently started moving his hips back and forth and causing Evie to follow the motion. She giggled. Taylor always managed to find a way to cheer her up no matter what mood she was in. He continued to repeat the same phrase over and over again until it seemed to finally sink in that it was actually happening. Evie watched with amusement as he slowly let her go and began bouncing up in down right there in the kitchen. "We're gonna have more Taylor Tots!" he shouted with giddiness, causing Evie to burst out laughing.

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On the other side of Riverton, Gadget, like Taylor, was just getting off work. It had been a long day since the Head of the Fire Department had wanted to speak with him about the new regulations at the school. The two of them were going to talk it out before meeting with Mayor Wilson before making the final call on the decisions. It was not a meeting Gadget was looking forward to in the least.

"Later, G Man" called out the Gadget Mobile as Gadget got out of the car and turned off the Gadget Mobile to recharge its batteries.

"Night" he mumbled; clearly just wanting to collapse.

He was hallway to the front door when his phone suddenly went off. He sighed and pulled it out of his trench coat pocket, flipping it open without looking at the call ID. He regretted it a moment later.

"HI GADGET!" screeched the loud voice of Taylor through the phone.

Gadget flinched at the noise and pulled the phone away from his ear. He stopped in his tracks. "Ugh, Hi Taylor….You don't have to shout."

"YESIDOBECAUSEIJUSTFOUNDOUTEV IEISPREGNANT!"

Gadget sighed heavily once more, shaking his head. "What? Taylor, seriously, stop shouting and….breathe while you're talking…okay?"

There was a pause from Taylor in which he didn't say anything, but Gadget could hear some noises in the background. He also thought he could faintly hear Evie's voice in the background. What was going on?

There was a loud clanking noise before Taylor spoke again. "Sorry, Gadget! I won't scream anymore.."

"That would be appreciated…" Gadget glanced over and watched the sun begin to set in the West. He couldn't help but admire the night as he waited for Taylor to continue.

"Taylor-get off the phone! This is completely inappropriate!" came Evie's voice. "You're sick, you know that?!"

Evie's words only made Gadget all the more confused. He could hear Taylor replying. "Gadget deserves to know and I can't wait to tell him, so I'm telling him now! I promise sweetheart, I'll only be a minute and then we can—"

"Shut up, Taylor! Say no more! Just say what you have to say to him and GET OFF THE PHONE!" shouted Evie from wherever she was in the background.

"Fine….fine" groused Taylor. Gadget could suddenly hear him more clearly, proving that he was now on the phone properly. "Hey, Gadget….Sorry about that….Evie gets kinda fussy and bossy when she's ho—OWWW!" Gadget flinched, wanting to know what happened. "Don't throw things at me!"

Gadget had had enough. "Taylor, what is going on? I'm very tired and clearly you shouldn't be on the phone right now, so just say what you want to say and get it over with."

Taylor made a noise of agreement. "Yeah, well, I wanted to say-Evie is pregnant, Gadget! Pregnant! We're having another baby-well, possibly babies….Evie doesn't believe me, but it'll probably be twins again….you know, cause we're just THAT awesome…"

Gadget was speechless. The total awkwardness of the call had been completely worth it to hear such news. No wonder Taylor had wanted to speak to him so badly. "W-Wow….oh, wow! Taylor! That's so great! Congratulations!"

"Heh heh. Thanks. She told me a little bit ago and I just couldn't wait to tell you—so I called!"

"At a very inappropriate time too!" came Evie's irate voice.

Gadget chuckled. "Well, thanks Taylor. Thanks for telling me. That's wonderful! I'll uh….I'll let you go now….I don't want to keep you away from Evie…She seems pretty urgent about something."

"Yeah, I know. Its cause we're about to have sex—"

The line suddenly died and Gadget was met with simply dial-tone. He shook his head, easily able to imagine Evie having been the one to cut the line.

He put his phone away, a large smile on his face as he continued walking towards the front door. While that certainly was a strange and, as Evie put it, inappropriate way to tell your best friend your wife was pregnant, Gadget couldn't be happier for them. Taylor was meant to have children; lots of children. And Evie was just the right woman to give them to him.

Just as he was about to grab for the front door knob, the door was pulled open, startling the inspector. He looked up to see that Penny had beat him to opening the door. "Penny!"

"Oh, I thought I heard your voice out here" she greeted with a smile, leaning against the door. Gadget took a moment to soak in her beauty and allowed himself to be reminded how lucky he was to have her. She continued on, "Who were you talking to? Gadget Mobile?" She glanced around as though expecting to see company.

Gadget shook his head and held up his phone for her to see. "No, no. Taylor called me. He uh…." He paused as he stepped through the door, giving Penny a kiss as he did so. She shut the door behind him. "He called to tell me that Evie is pregnant!" He shrugged off his coat.

Penny placed her hands over her mouth in shock, her eyes wide with excitement. "Oh, wow! That's wonderful! Oh, I'll bet he was excited to tell you!"

Gadget took a moment to remember the phone call and nodded. "You have NO idea, Penny…" he chuckled as he placed his briefcase on the couch and collapsed into it. She sat in his lap a moment later, pulling him in for a gentle kiss. Gadget breathed her in. "Hmm….Today was a long day….I needed that…" he said when they broke apart.

Penny chuckled and pushed some of her blonde hair behind her ears. "Well, I'm glad things are still okay between you two."

Gadget gave her a look of confusion and felt a twinge of suspicion shoot through him. "What do you mean?"

Penny shrugged. "I don't know. Things have just seemed…tense between the two of you. I was starting to worry something had happened….like a fight or something…"

Gadget felt a slight wave of panic rush through him. Penny was right; things had been a bit more tense between the two of them ever since Evie had walked in on them that one day and found out about their affair. They had been seeing each other less and less and Gadget knew part of was simply because of his guilt. Even though Evie seemed to have taken the news well and had promised not to tell Penny about their secret relationship, Gadget didn't want to take any chances. It just seemed so unlikely that Evie would take such news like that so easily and readily. There was something about the whole situation he didn't feel right about and therefore, he had unwillingly been keeping his distance. He had hoped Penny wouldn't notice but it seemed she had.

Gadget shook his head. "No….Nothing like that."

"Then what happened?"

Gadget looked away and forced himself not to sigh loudly and openly. He should have known Penny wouldn't let it go that easily. She was too good at noticing things. Grinning nervously, he bunched his shoulders up and chuckled. "Who said anything even happened?" He gently rubbed her thighs while he waited for an answer.

Penny titled her head. "Well, for one thing….the two of you haven't been hanging out all the much lately…"

Gadget quirked an eyebrow. "And that's a bad thing?"

Penny smiled, playing with some of his hair with her fingers. "Not so much a bad thing, just…strange….for you two. I mean, you guys are really close….."

Gadget looked away at that. "Is….that a problem?" He made himself look Penny in the eyes. He had never really asked Penny's opinion about how much time he spent with Taylor and now that certain events had taken place, it was even more concerning what she might have to say about it. Penny had never voiced any concerns or ever opposed to them spending time together, but perhaps Penny had been keeping it from him.

Evie had promised not to say anything about their secret relationship, and while he trusted Evie and knew she wasn't the type to lie like that, he couldn't be sure. Not to mention the guilt that had been hanging on him ever since Evie found out. He was also a little freaked about it; if Evie could walk in on them and find out, Penny could too. Hence that being one of the reasons he and Taylor had been distancing themselves.

Penny continued playing with his hair. "No! Goodness, no! You know I adore Taylor and I know how close you two have gotten throughout the years. You need friends, Gadget. It's not a crime to want to hang out with your friends. I spend time with G2, Evie, and Lula all the time. I have my girls and you have Taylor. It works out."

Gadget nodded slowly. "Yeah…." He thought about what Penny had said about her and Evie hanging out. "You and Evie are pretty close too then, huh?"

Penny slid off Gadget's lap and sat down beside him on the couch, where he instinctively wrapped an arm around her. "Yeah….I could easily call her one of my closest friends. She's shy, though. Quiet. Not that that is a bad thing! I just don't think she's all that used to having friends, you know?"

Gadget nodded.

Penny giggled. "But now that's she's pregnant, I'm sure she'll be talking our ears off like the last time." Gadget laughed, remembering how giddy Evie had been and how willing she was to talk about the twins and how they had been progressing. Penny's voice brought him out of his thoughts though. "You know, since Taylor and Evie are expecting, we should do something for them!"

Gadget looked to her and saw a sparkle in his wife's eyes. He knew that look. "What do you mean?"

"We should do something for them!" she repeated as though it were obvious. Penny scoffed when Gadget continued to give her a blank look. "You know, take them somewhere. Like out to eat or something! Treat them to a nice restaurant as our way of saying congrats on the baby!"

Gadget felt his heart drop into his stomach. "So….you're saying…..The four of us should get together and sit down…..together. And eat at a restaurant….together. The four of us." Gadget was sure he sounded ridiculous, but at that moment he couldn't bring himself to care. It was bad enough dealing with the guilt and worry that Penny would find out about him and Taylor, and things were awkward enough with them being away with each and Taylor and him 'ignoring' one another, but for them to all sit down and have a meal together; Gadget didn't think he could handle it. It would be too much. He could just imagine the tension at the table, since Penny would be the only one not knowing what was going on. And nothing ever got past Penny, she would notice something was wrong and then everything would fall apart.

"Sure!" the cyborg heard himself saying. He could hear himself distantly chuckle. It sounded like he was far away or under water, not actually the one speaking. "Why not?"

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"Taylor, we have a problem!"

The newly appointed Chief of Police, Gadget walked into the office of Inspector Taylor Braydon.

Taylor was looking down intently at his something on his desk as Gadget stopped before him. "Hmm…I know" said the blonde. He leaned back into his chair and the cyborg was able to see his friend holding two different pens. "I can't decide which pen color to use. Red? Or Blue?" He held them up for Gadget to see.

"Taylor, that's not a problem" Gadget said quickly, trying his hardest to keep himself from panicking. The previous evening had been Hell for the cyborg hero and he had gotten very little sleep after Penny had suggested the four of them going out for dinner.

Taylor frowned. "Yeah. It is." He said seriously. "I have these papers to sign and I can't figure out which one would be more appropriate. If I sign in red, they might get the idea that I'm angry and therefore take offense. But then if I sign in blue, they may see it as a sign of weakness and try to bully me into letting them get away with things they want and Gadget…." Taylor put down the pens and looked hard at Gadget. "I'm an inspector. I can't just let people walk all over me. I have lives to save. So, I either come off as angry and violent, which might force them to take drastic action, or I look weak and naïve. Like I said, VERY important decision; big problem."

The chief of police just stood there for a moment and let his friend's words sink in. After a moment, Gadget reached into his pocket and pulled out a third pen. He glanced at it before tossing it at Taylor. "Here, sign in black. Problem solved."

Taylor blinked at the black pen and then smiled up at Gadget. "Great idea! Thanks, Gadget!" He was about to sign the paper with the black pen when he paused and looked back up. "Wait, or will that appear too neutral and uncaring?"

Gadget could have sworn he felt a vein pop somewhere in his neck. "Taylor, forget about the signing and the pen, alright! We have a more serious problem to worry about!" he snapped.

Taylor looked at him as though seeing him in his office for the first time. "What's wrong?"

"Penny wants the four of us to go and have dinner at a fancy restaurant" Gadget informed him.

"Hmm….I don't really mix well with fancy restaurants, so I can see where that would be a problem, yes."

The cyborg shook his head. "That's not the problem though, Taylor, didn't you hear me? The _four_ of us! As in, Penny, Evie, you, and me all at the same table. Talking!"

Everything seemed to click for the blonde and his eyes widened. "Oh…."Gadget nodded, glad to know Taylor finally understood. "So….you're worried that things are going to be awkward?"

"It_ will_ be, Taylor. Evie can't even so much as_ look_ at me, let alone sit at a dinner table with me."

"That's only because she's in denial of how badly she wants you" shrugged Taylor nonchalantly as he tossed aside the paper he was supposed to sign. The paper ended up falling to the floor.

"I think it's more about the fact that she's guilt for keeping all this a secret from Penny! She knows how delicate this situation is, unlike you, Taylor!"

Taylor took in a deep breath. "Relax, Gadget. We'll take care of this." He stood up from his chair and walked around the other side of his desk to Gadget. "I'll let Evie know tonight when I get home and everything will be fine. We just won't talk about…._that._ It'll be fine. I promise." He placed a hand on Gadget's shoulder.

Gadget looked up into Taylor's bright blue trusting eyes and couldn't help but feel a bit of hope about the whole situation.

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Taylor walked through the front door of his mansion, humming an off-tune beat without a care in the world. After having seen Gadget earlier that morning, he had lost track of the papers he had been meant to sign and it hadn't been until three hours later did he finally find them on the floor. He had dusted them off and signed them with the black pen.

It wasn't another hour later until he realized it was Gadget who had been meant to sign them and not him, so he had handed the papers to Gadget who took them with a begrudged frown and got some white-out ink out.

Taylor had taken off his jacket and tossed it on the couch when he heard something. He paused, listening carefully. It sounded like crying, yet he knew it wasn't the twins, for they were in their pen on the other side of the room cooing quietly and playing with their toys.

He followed the sound after checking on the twins and quietly greeting them with a quick, "Hi, Taylor Tots!" and kissing them each other the foreheads. Both boys giggled and reached up for their daddy but Taylor quietly shushed them and headed to see where the source of the crying was coming.

The only other person who could be home would be Evie, since the twins were in their playpen and not in their room. He went down the hallway and towards the first floor bathroom. He pressed his ear to the door though the crying was still muffled.

"Penny…" came Evie's broken voice through the door. Taylor could hear her sobbing.

A million different thoughts started rushing through Taylor's mind. Why was she crying? Why did she say Penny's name? Is Penny in there with her? is she visiting? Are they talking on the phone? What has Evie so upset? Why would she be crying to Penny of all people and not to him?

Taylor was about to knock on the door when he heard Evie speak again. "P-Penny….I have to tell you something…." Taylor froze at those words. He didn't hear a response so it was a safe bet that Evie was speaking to her over the phone.

Again, more thoughts went through his mind. What could Evie possibly have to tell Penny as she was sobbing over the phone with her? Taylor then felt as though an ice cube had been dropped down his shirt.

No….

Evie couldn't possibly be planning on telling Penny about him and Gadget, could she?

Evie spoke on the other side of the door. "Penny….I'm okay….Really. I'm just….yes, you're hearing me crying because it hurts…Hurts just like they said it would…."

Taylor desperately wished he could hear Penny's side of the conversation.

"I've been—" she cut herself off, Penny obviously saying something. "Yes—Yes. I cleaned myself up. It still hurts though….." Evie broke down into more tears. "Penny…..you have to promise me…that you won't tell anyone…..I don't' want anyone to know yet! They'll all make a fuss!" There was a long pause. "Look…..can I come over?"

Taylor waited with anticipation, hoping to hear what his wife was about to say.

"Penny….Taylor and-"

Taylor heard no more as the cries from one of the twins sounded out down the hallway from the living room where their playpen was placed. He jumped at the sound and nearly fell over right there in the hallway. There was a commotion on the other side of the door and Taylor could hear Evie unlocking the door. She whipped the door open and cried out when she saw it was Taylor, scared for his sudden appearance.

"Taylor!" she squeaked over the sound of the twin's cries. Taylor composed himself the best way he could, fixing his collar and trying not to seem as though he was just eavesdropping.

"Oh, hi, sweetie. There you are. I-uh….I just got home" he told her nervously as he scratched the back of his head. He could see no tears in her eyes but her eyes were red behind her glasses. She sniffed, holding the phone against her shoulder.

"Is that the twins?" she asked him, glancing down at the end of the hall. Taylor nodded. "Um….could you get them? I…." she gestured almost guiltily to the phone. "I'm in the middle of a call…"

Taylor nodded, his eyes wider than they needed to be. "Yeah, sure. I-I'm on it" she flashed a false smile at her before going to check on the twins. Evie watched him go before ducking back into the bathroom and shutting the door.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Taylor, are you SURE about this?"

"Yes, of course I'm sure! Gadget! Evie and Penny are having an affair! She kept talking about how it hurts and how she didn't want anyone to know cause it would cause a big fuss!"

"Wait, what? That doesn't sound right-"

"I'm just telling you what I heard, Gadget! It's Evie's way of getting back at me!"

"Evie wouldn't do that to you!"

"They said the same thing about us, Gadget!"

"Well, didn't you try to listen to what she was saying afterwards?! I'm sure there's more to it than that!"

"Yes, of course! But the Taylor Tots kept making noise every time I tried eavesdropping again and then she'd stop talking until I left."

Gadget sighed into the phone. "Look, let's not jump to conclusions. The very fact that Penny has yet to say anything to me proves that Evie didn't say anything. Trust me, if Penny had been told she would be down my throat."

"Yeah, we said the same thing about Evie" Taylor pointed out as he picked up Jimmy and balanced him on his hip with one arm. He was up in the boy's room. "And look at how SHE took it."

Gadget made an irritated noise in the back of his throat. "Well, it's not like we can say anything."

"Yeah, but then what do we do?"

"Nothing. We just pretend like nothing happened."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. And Taylor?"

"Yeah?"

"You had _better not_ saying anything at dinner on Friday. Clear?"

"Clear."

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It was shortly after Taylor got off the phone when Evie informed Taylor that she would be spending the night over at Penny's. Taylor blinked at her as she packed the bags for the twins. "I'm dropping the twins off at my mom's, just like I told her I would. You'll have the house to yourself, so…if you want to invite Gadget over…or…." She looked away. "….something….You can." She shivered a bit and looked to be in pain.

"Um….Yeah, okay. I might do that. Um…why suddenly are you staying at Penny's?" Taylor didn't bother asking her if she was feeling alright; he had already tried asking her what was wrong, but she refused to admit anything was wrong.

Evie shrugged, her red eyes long gone, yet she looked pale, and nervous, as though she was guilty. "We were just talking on the phone earlier and we both saying how we could both use a girl's night. Sleepover type thing, you know?"

Taylor frowned. "A sleepover? Isn't that what like….little teenage girls do?"

"Adults do it too sometimes, Taylor" she snapped at him gently. She hissed quietly as though she had a cramp or something.

"Sleep over?" chuckled Taylor. "Adults don't have sleepovers. Unless you call something like an orgy a sleepover." He laughed even harder at the idea.

Evie blushed slightly. "Grow up, Taylor!"

Taylor just continued to laugh. "What?! It's true! I mean seriously-Adults don't just sleep over at each other's house unless they're going to—" Taylor trailed off, his eyes going wide and his laughter dying in his throat. He glanced over at Evie, who was packing a small bag.

Evie looked up at him, bewildered by his expression. "What? Unless adults want to what?"

Taylor just stared at her like he had never seen her before. He took a step backwards, his eyes going to the floor. He pursed his lips. "Nothing. I—um….I forgot what I was going to say…."

Evie shot him an unconvinced look yet said nothing.

"So…..you and Penny, huh?" he asked her after a long pause, his voice sounding off and slightly deeper than normal.

Evie, not fully understanding what he was saying, shrugged. "Yeah, just the two of us. Girl's night. It's been a while since we've both had some fun…And we were talking about how close of friends you and Gadget are and we figured….why not do the same thing?"

Taylor's eyebrows rose at this. "Oh….You want what Gadget and I have?"

Evie gave him a dubious look. "Well…._not _exactly what you guys have…."

Taylor watched as she winced again. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Just morning sickness, Taylor. I get it in the evenings sometimes…" Evie glanced at the clock. "Oh, I have to go, my mom is expecting me in thirty minutes." She zipped up her bag and leaned over to give Taylor a kiss, which he accepted. He helped her gets the twins in the stroller and walked her to the front door. "Night!" she called over her shoulder.

"Night."

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Evie ended up staying with Penny for the next two nights.

Supposedly.

Gadget didn't see much of her at the house, yet that was probably because he had spent most of the time at Taylor's, upon Penny's insistence.

"She looked like she was coming down with something" the cyborg commented as he and Taylor ate some Chinese.

"Evie said it was just her morning sickness."

Gadget nodded. "Penny didn't say anything about…..us. And she was in a really good mood."

Taylor nodded. "Well, we'll find out eventually I guess."

It was Gadget's turn to nod.

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Taylor didn't see Evie again until Friday night when they were all meeting up for dinner. Penny had made all the arrangements for dinner at a fancy little Italian restaurant. It was clear that Penny had also let Evie borrow a dress, since Taylor had not seen her pack one. Evie still looked a bit pale, but she brushed it off as her morning sickness again.

The restaurant was fairly busy, yet not crowded. The white walls were lit by small candles and chandeliers hung from the ceiling. All the tables were either round or square and had red table clothes over them.

The four of them met up at the front lobby. Penny wrapped her arms around Gadget and gave him a kiss while Evie did the same thing to Taylor. Taylor pulled back and glanced down at her black dress. "It's pretty."

"It's Penny's" giggled Evie. Taylor grinned.

"Well, Penny needs to give to you" he whispered seductively into her ear, his head gently caressing her still flat stomach. Evie cleared her throat at that and looked away. She looked towards Penny, who seemed to give her a reassuring look.

The host walked up to them and they were quickly taken to their seats. They were sat next to the wall. Gadget and Taylor sat up against the wall while Penny and Evie sat opposite from them. They ordered drinks, though Evie was the only one who didn't order alcohol for obvious reasons.

Silence filled the table as they all searched through their menus.

Every now and then Evie and Penny would lean over next to each and whisper something into their ears. Taylor narrowed his eyes at them.

"What are you two whispering about?"

The girls blinked at him. Gadget remained behind his menu, knowing full well it was simply Taylor's jealousy and suspicion.

"We're just helping each other figure out what we want to order. Sharing ideas, you know?" shrugged Penny.

Taylor said no more on the subject.

Once their meals had been ordered, the four of them attempted to make small talk, yet it was obvious that the tension between them was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Gadget remained to himself for the most part, much to Penny's concern.

"So, Evie, love, did you have fun at Penny's?" asked Taylor in a strained voice.

Evie nodded, looking down at the table. "Yeah, I did. It…was nice to get out and have some girl time."

"Yeah….girl time…" muttered the blonde male. Gadget discreetly kicked him in the leg. "Ow!"

Penny and Evie looked back and forth between their husbands. "What's going on?" voiced Penny first, a suspicious glint in her eye.

"Nothing" claimed Gadget as he fiddled with his fork.

"I just—" began Taylor. Gadget shot him a warning glare. Taylor shifted in his seat. "I just-didn't get to see you much the last few days, Evie. You didn't even call."

Penny and Evie exchanged a look. "Sorry. I guess I just didn't feel like calling…"

Taylor frowned at that. "Didn't feel like calling your husband?" Taylor's voice had an edge to it that none of them had ever heard before. They all stared at him, unsure of what was going on with their usually happy-go-lucky friend.

Evie looked away. "My phone was dead. I forgot my charger."

"They have a house phone" Taylor pointed out.

"So she didn't call you, so what?" snapped Penny defensively. "There's no reason to be rude to her for it. She had her reasons."

Taylor glared hard at Penny who was sitting diagonal from her. "Yeah? And what were they? What could she possibly have been doing at your house with you that would keep her from calling me?! I'm her husband! She should call me! Especially now that's she pregnant, she has to take care of herself! I worry about her!"

Evie paled visibly and hid her face by looking down into her lap. Penny was quick to wrap an arm around her.

It was Gadget's turn to be curious and suspicious. "Penny, what's going on?"

Penny went to open her mouth, but Taylor beat her to it. He quickly rose from his chair with a fury in his gut that he had never had before. He threw down his napkin that he's been fiddling with. He pointed an accusing finger at the girls.

"Sir, your drinks" came the timid voice of one of the waiters. The thin man in the black suit was about to place Taylor's drink on the table when Taylor raised his arm and hit the man before promptly beginning to shout.

"I'll tell you what's happening! It's just like I said, Gadget! They're cheating on us! That must be it! It explains why Evie was so guilty and all the things she said on the phone!"

Penny and Evie both spoke at once as they stared up incredulously at Taylor. "What?! We're not cheating on you two!""When I said WHAT on the phone?!"

The waiter gave a cry which was ignored by the four of them. Without their knowledge, the waiter went flying backwards, bumping into another waiter on the way. The other waiter had been holding a tray of empty plates that he had been collecting; everything crashing on the table next. Several waiters started rushing forward to help, but in the mess got caught up in their feet and lost their footing. While the argument at the table began, chaos began in the restaurant around them like a domino effect; people bumping into other people and trays of dishes falling into a mess on the floor. Wine flying everywhere and costumers getting covered in food and wine.

The four of them were in their own little world though.

"Taylor, please! Sit down!" snarled Gadget as he grabbed a fistful of Taylor's suit.

Taylor wouldn't listen though. "NO! THEY'RE CHEATING ON US, GADGET! DON'T YOU CARE?!"

Gadget, knowing it was futile, let go of Taylor and hid his face behind his hand.

"Look, Evie, I know Gadget and I have been having an affair, but that gives you NO RIGHT to go and have one behind MY back too!"

Gadget moaned and hid his face on the table.

Penny's eyes went wide with outrage. "Wait, WHAT?!" she looked between all three of her friends before turning her full attention on Gadget.

"That's right, Penny! Gadget and I have a secret relationship! We've made out, goofed around, fucked! However you want to put it!" Taylor's face was completely red and was entirely clear that he had completely lost it. He pointed at Evie was now in tears as she glowered up at her husband. "She found out several weeks ago and promised not to tell you but then she goes and does this! She goes and starts seducing you to get back at me!"

Evie had had enough at this point. "SHUT UP, TAYLOR! You have no idea what you're even talking about! You have it ALL WRONG! I haven't been sleeping with Penny to get back at you! We're friends! That's all! And the fact that you even THINK I would do something like that to you sickens me!"

Taylor faltered slightly, yet only for a moment. "Then how do you explain the phone call?!"

"The phone call in the bathroom?!" Taylor nodded. "I KNEW you were eavesdropping!" She sighed heavily. Fresh tears came to her eyes and Penny pulled her glare on Gadget away to look at Evie. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "I wasn't cheating on you, Taylor! I stayed over at Penny's because….I had a miscarriage!" She broke down into complete sobs.

Taylor froze, all of his anger completely gone. He stared at her, completely in shock. "What…" he gasped weakly.

"I lost the baby…..and I didn't know how to tell you…..You'd been so excited just days before and then for me to lose the baby so soon afterwards…." She sniffled for a moment. "I didn't know how to tell you….I didn't want to….you'd….you'd been so happy when I to you…." Her voice broke off and she sobbed harder.

Penny patted her on the shoulders and continued for her. "I took her to the hospital later that evening. The cramps had already started. She exactly what they were. She immediately called me. I told her to come over and I'd take her to the hospital. We came up with the excuse that she was staying over so you wouldn't worry. She was going to tell you after she recovered a bit. Once she got to the hospital, the cramps got worse and she…..miscarried."

Silence filled the table. Gadget had come up from hiding and was giving Evie a sympathetic look.

It wasn't until that moment did the world around them crash back into them.

Literally.

"Look out!" someone was calling over to them.

Before any of them could move, Evie and Penny screamed as they were sprayed and dowsed completely of several different Italian dishes. Spaghetti sauce covered their hair, soaking them, noodles sliding down their front and back. The waiter who had been carrying the tray collided into the table just between their chairs, nearly hitting his head as he stumbled over his words in apologies. The tray clattered to the table, spilling all their drinks. Gadget and Taylor quickly backed away so they wouldn't get hit. Glass shattered around them and plates were broken into shards.

Half a dozen waiters bustled around them with napkins and quickly cleaned up the mess, all the while saying how regretfully sorry they were. They gave the girls large white towels to wipe their faces.

Penny and Evie, still in shock, smiled at them politely and gently shooed them away, assuring them they were alright. Gadget and Taylor just stood there against the wall, looking down at their shoes. They didn't dare go near them; not after that.

Penny rose first, her red dress slopping with noodles and sauce.

Evie stood next. Taylor glanced up and saw that there was a meatball on her head. "Y-You have a—" he gestured to her head as she snarled at him. Taylor gulped. "You have a…..meatball in your hair…"

Evie quickly reached up, grabbed it, and threw at him, before turning to follow Penny into the ladies restroom. Taylor flinched as it hit in the chest and stained his white shirt underneath.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

The manager had been called in and was quick to apologize, yet it seemed they were upset by the disturbance they had made and quickly kicked them out. Gadget and Taylor were forced to wait outside the front doors while the girls cleaned up in the bathroom.

"I told you not to say anything" growled Gadget, not looking at Taylor.

The air was cold and they could see their breath. Taylor said nothing.

It wasn't until another ten minutes of silence between them did the girls finally come out. The girls had wiped their faces clean of sauce, along with their make-up, and their hair was now damp and noddle-less.

Both men went to their wives, but after seeing their expressions, they stepped back. Instead they followed them into their respective cars without a word.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

It wasn't until after Evie had showered and dressed for bed did she and Taylor finally face each other. They stood on opposite sides of their bed. "Happy now?" sneered Evie.

"Not really" replied Taylor honestly. He was wearing his race car pajamas.

"Well good! You made absolute FOOLS of us, Taylor!"

Taylor frowned and held his ground. "I didn't mean to!"

"Oh, right!" griped Evie, wavering her arm in the air. "Just like you didn't mean to shout to the whole damn world about your affair with Gadget! Do you have ANY idea the trouble he's now in because of you! I'm sure Penny is beyond pissed with him right now!"

"I didn't mean to say that-it just came out!" protested Taylor, crossing his arms.

"Right! Because that's how it works with Taylor Braydon! Things just sort of HAPPEN around Taylor! He just goes around in his own little world, without thinking of the consequences! Without thinking of anyone else!"

"Hey!"

Evie wasn't finished. "It's true! You were so damn sure you were right! So DAMN POSITIVE that I was having an affair with Penny that not ONCE did you even consider the fact that you might be wrong! No, no, no! You had to go and make a big scene! And all because of part of a conversation you heard my having with Penny! I mean, HONESTLY! Did it even EVER occur to you that there might have been MORE to that conversation that you didn't hear?!"

Taylor shook his head and snapped, "I'm sorry! I was just worked up at the idea that you might be cheating on me! I panicked! It hurt me, Evie! I thought you were trying to get back at me or something because of what I have with Gadget!"

Evie sighed heavily at that and her anger seemed to deflate a bit, yet she still snarled, "Yeah, well, maybe now you have some idea as to how I felt when I saw you and Gadget kissing together…"

Taylor's eyes widened and his shoulders sagged dumbstruck.

"Yet instead of jumping to conclusions and fussing….I walked away and thought about all of it. I spent some time away from you for a while and thought it all out. Then we talked about it and I told you I was okay with it Like you should have done with me."

Taylor seemed desperate. "But-" he sputtered. "You left though! I couldn't talk to you! You went and hid something from me!"

Evie looked down at the carpet. "I know…sweetheart…and I should have told you….but…You had been so excited and I didn't want to give you such awful news. Penny is my friend and she said she'd help me through it. And then we had dinner tonight….I was planning on telling you in the morning…." Taylor offered an arm out to her and she slowly shuffled her way over to him. She hid her face in his chest. "This is all one big mess…"

Taylor nodded, tucking her head under his chin. "I'm sorry Evie. I should never had accused you of cheating."

"And I'm sorry, Taylor, for not telling you right away…." The two of them continued to hold each other for several long minutes. "Now…let's just go to bed. And tomorrow we'll be there for our friends; Penny and Gadget, and help them through anything they need."

Taylor nodded in agreement.

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On the other side of Riverton, Penny was also finishing up with her shower. Gadget had just seen Maxie and Hope to bed and walked into their bedroom. He sat down on the mattress, already in his pajamas. He sat there in deep thought until Penny walked into the room with a towel around her head.

She sat down on the bed next to him. She looked right at him while Gadget continued to avert his gaze. "Well, tonight was certainly something…" breathed Penny with an air of indifference. She took off the towel and leaned over to grab a comb.

Silence filled the room as she combed out her hair. Finally she spoke again quietly, "So…..you and Taylor, hm? I guess I should have seen the signs…"

Gadget said nothing.

"How long?"

Gadget glanced over at her. He shrugged. "I don't know. A while."

"A long while? Months? Years?"

"Years…"

"Hmm…"

"Penny….its not like that…."

"You've always had this problem. You have such a big heart, Gadget, and you just don't know what to do with it."

Gadget shook his head, "That's not—"

"Isn't it?" she interrupted him. "It happened with Alicia when you were with G2. It happened with Lula. Then me. You've had a line of women you've known and fallen in love with and….thankfully….your relationships were able to recover with them, but it happened all the same…"

"Penny….this is different. You know I don't mean any of that. I never have. I can't help it. You know that! I don't mean to hurt people!"

"I know."

"What Taylor and I have is like nothing before. I-It's not even something you can call a relationship. We're just….two best buds who….happen to be attracted to each other. It doesn't happen every time we're together. Just sometimes. And we never PLAN on it, it just happens! It's not like we get together behind you and Evie's back and specifically cheat on you!"

"I know, but it wasn't like that with the others either" Penny pointed out.

Gadget finally turned to her and looked her in the eyes. He grabbed hold of her hands gently. "Listen, Penny. I'm sorry. I should have told you ages ago, but honestly, Taylor and I didn't really see a reason to!" Penny frowned at that and he quickly continued. "We didn't even realize what we were doing until Evie walked in on us one day…..getting it on in their living room. She was shocked at first but she took it well. I didn't tell you afterwards because I was afraid of….well….this…" He motioned to this conversation. "And Evie said she wouldn't tell you either. But please don't be mad at her for it."

Penny shook her head. "I'm not mad at her for not telling me."

Gadget nodded. "Just remember this Penny. This doesn't change anything. I mean, come on! It's Taylor!" he tried to smile and chuckle. "He would never intentionally want to hurt anyone! He doesn't have a mean bone in his body! And he loves Evie so much. He worships her! Just like I worship you…."

Penny smiled at his words, leaning in closer.

"Just because Taylor and I….occasionally fool around, doesn't change anything. We still love our beautiful wives and nothing will ever stop that." Penny allowed him to give a small chaste kiss on the lips. "Forgive me?"

Penny placed her hands on the side of his face. "Of course." She leaned in and gave him a kiss.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Later that night….

"Is everything okay with you and Evie?" Gadget quietly over the phone.

"Yeah….We're fine. How about you and Penny?"

"Yeah, we're fine. She understands that you and I…."

"Yeah."

"She kinda took it the same way Evie did."

"That's good."

"Yeah."

"Hey, Gadget?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think we could try a foursome then?"

Gadget hung up the phone.

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Author's Note: FINALLY! The end! Oh, this was a hard chapter to write, but I did it! And its extra long to make up for the long gap between updates! Oh, goodness. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors or such. I hope you all enjoy!


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